Out of this World
by Legacy of the Avatar
Summary: Rie Vanguard is going home from practice when she hits a portal to Avatar's Spirit World. She must finish the job Avatar Roku has given her and play outta the world matchmaker for a match she didn't expect, all while keeping her identity secret. Zutara
1. Martial Arts and a Faceless Monkey

Rie sighed. Once again, her family seemed reluctant to give her valuable privacy. They just could not seem to realize that, for a teenaged girl, privacy was an oasis in a sea preps, chores, and homework. It was her haven, her refuge, and her parents didn't want to let her be! After school and before practice, there was nothing more that Rie wanted than to sit her room, watch movies, and go online. No, her family just seemed to annoy her to oblivion.

"Marie, dear, go see what Beth is hollering for. I think it has to do with her game." The reluctant teen obeyed, sulking off to see what her little, annoying, seemingly helpless sister wanted this time.

"Rie, can you help me?" Beth's computer had an error message. Rie took one look at it, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Beth, how old are you?"

"Thirteen."

"And can you read?"

Beth was indignant. "Of course I can."

Rie opened her eyes. "Then what does the message say?" Not getting a reply, Rie yelled, "It says that the program is not responding! Just click okay and leave me alone!" Rie stomped off to her room, furious at being interrupted for nothing.

Once her door was shut, Rie smiled at herself. "I think all the Avatar is getting to me. That blow-up was worthy of Zuko on a bad day. Speaking of which…" Rie looked at her watch. Swearing, she grabbed her bag. "Aw, man! Sensei is **_not _**going to be happy with me! I'm almost late!" As she neared the door, her mother halted her.

"Just where do you think you're going?" she asked in that annoying tone mothers use.

"Practice. Sensei wants me there ten minutes early and I'm almost late," Rie replied, trying to dodge her mother. Rie's mother held out her hand.

"Not until you apologize to Beth you're not. You had no reason to yell at her."

Rie couldn't believe her ears. _She's making me apologize? Beth was the one who bugged me! _"I'm not going to apologize, Mom. She called me in for a stupid error message!" Rie inwardly rolled her eyes. She just knew where this was going.

"She's your little sister. She didn't realize what it was."

Rie gave her mom a withering look. "Beth gets ten error messages a week, and the Not Responding one is the most common. I think she'd know what it said. I mean, I know she's an idiot, but come on. No one is that dumb." At that, Rie dodged pass her mom and made it out the front door in record time, but not in time to ignore her mom's last remark.

"You are grounded as soon as you get home! No doing _anything_ until you apologize. Did you hear me? Marie! Get back here!" However, she was yelling at open air. Rie had escaped to practice.

* * *

Rie rushed into the small building. Bowing as she ran, she called to the man sitting at the desk. "Sorry I'm late, Sensei Kuro. My mom wasn't so keen on letting me go." The man nodded understandably.

"I see. Elizabeth?"

Rie rolled her eyes as she ducked into the changing room. "Yep. She was being annoying, calling me in for some stupid error message. I hate little sisters," she added, pulling her tunic, or whatever it's called, over her blond hair and tying her hair back with the ribbon. Exiting, she brushed herself off and bowed to Sensei. Getting up, he bowed back, and began her training.

Rie felt herself be thrown again. Koru shook his head, giving her his hand. "I told you, keep your feet rooted firmly to the ground. This is Hun Gar, what Earthbending in that show you obsess over is based upon." Rie was shocked.

"You actually saw Avatar?" Koru smiled.

"Even though cable has been invented, there is still nothing to watch. Now, remember, your feet are you roots, and you don't want to be pushed back. If you can _not_ get thrown this time, we'll try Northern Shaolin." Rie smiled and took up her stance. She loved it when they practiced Shaolin. It was very akin to Firebending, which made sense, seeing as how Firebending was_ based_ off of Northern Shaolin.

* * *

A few hours later, Rie was heading home, bruised and sore. Sensei Koru had thrown her three times before moving on to Shaolin and then Tai Chi, during which she had being defeated, like, ten times. Wincing, Rie didn't notice that she had taken a wrong turn. When she did, she had lost all sense in direction.

"Damn! I blame my sores," she muttered, turning around to try and find her way back. But finding her way back was not what someone had in mind.

Not two feet away from where she turned around was a fork in the road. Looking both ways, she saw a light a little bit down on the right. Doing what she had been told not to, she followed the light. "If I die," she thought, "well, Beth can have my stuff." Reaching the light, Rie realized it was a portal, or some really cool light effect. Being the curious one, she stepped closer into the light and was gone.

* * *

_Splash! _Rie landed in some water. "Water?" she muttered. "Why is there water?" Looking around, she gasped at the animal looking at her. "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

The monkey had no face.

(A/N: Dun Dun Duuuun!)


	2. Didn't See That Coming

Rie screamed and the monkey, startled, ran off. Rie thought it would be squealing if it had a mouth. Suddenly, a voice behind her chuckled.

"You did not have to scare him. He would not have harmed you." Rie turned and screamed again.

The old man facing her held up his hand, as if to quiet her. "Hush. I will not hurt you, but there are some here who would. Yelling will only draw them closer." Rie immediately shut her mouth. The man pulled his hand back and nodded. "Thank you, Rie."

Rie dared to ask, "How do you know my name?"

The man smiled. "There is a lot I know that you can never comprehend, my dear child." Rie just nodded, trying to remember where she had seen that face, and heard that voice before. Suddenly, a picture of the monkey made it all click.

"You're Avatar Roku, aren't you?" The man nodded. "Then I'm in...?" Again, the man nodded. Rie stumbled back, shocked. "Oh my God, no one back home will ever believe this, if I ever get home," she said, looking around.

"You will return home, Rie, but I have a task I need you to complete." Roku paused, allowing Rie to soak in the fact that a character from her favorite television show had asked her to do something. Once it had sunk in, he continued.

"In the Mortal World, there are two groups of people; those who support the Avatar, and those who want him captured. But, as with almost every war, there are some unexpected twists. In this case, Destiny is showing her hand, and the twist is love.

"In order to assure the current Avatar's victory, two people will have to fall in love. Two people from _very _different worlds. As Aang's past life, I cannot cause these two to fall in love. But, however, I can choose someone to bring the two together. Rie, that someone is you.

"I need you to go up to the Mortal World, in disguise, and get these two key people together, or Aang will be doomed. I need you to play matchmaker."

By this time, Rie's jaw was dropped so low, a monkey could have used it for a swing. "Let me get this straight. You want me, someone from Earth, to play _matchmaker_ so Aang can win the war? Well, that's a twist I didn't see coming. Who am I supposed to match up, anyway?"

"Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation and Katara of the Water Tribe." Rie fell back into the water.

"WHAT? I thought matches were supposed to be made in heaven! You want me to get those two together? Oh, well, Aang's doomed."

Roku's expression didn't change. "What makes you say that?"

Rie got up and started pacing. "You mean, besides getting those two somewhere and they not try to kill each other? And besides that, even if I succeed in that, there is a very small chance that those two will ever think of each other as anything _but_ mortal enemies!" Rie stopped pacing.

"But, I suppose that you know best, since you are Aang's most recent life." Rie looked at Roku. "Okay, when do I start?"

Roku didn't answer right away. Instead, he placed his hands on Rie's head and muttered something Rie didn't catch. Stepping back, Roku spoke.

"I have given you the power of Master Firebending. It will be essential when you depart for the Mortal World. You will leave as soon as you can, but first I must give you some information that may help you with this task.

"If anyone is looking at you right now, they assume you are in a trance. When you awaken, you will be on a ship. Two people will be arriving shortly and will want to buy the ship. Say you'll sell it to them for 500 gold pieces. If they don't have much, say you'll lower it to 250 gold pieces only if they allow you to stay on the ship. When the ship has been sold, mutter something about a vision you had that made mention of this sale. This will convince one of the buyers that you are essential tothe quest. I will periodically send you visions so you are not lying when you give the new owners advice. That is all the information I can give you right now."

Rie nodded. "Okay. I'm supposed to sell my ship to some people only if they let me stay on it? And I do this because of a vision?" Rie shrugged. "Sounds okay t'me. But, what will my name be? Marie isn't too Asian sounding."

Roku nodded. "No, but Rie is. That will be your name. Now, you must go. When you awake, it will be to shouts and people stomping." Roku waved his hand, and Rie blacked out.

* * *

When Rie woke up, she noticed she was on a ship similar to Prince Zuko's before it was blown to pieces. Her black hair was all in her face. _Black hair? I'm a blonde,_ Rie thought, before the meeting with Roku came back. _I guess blond hair isn't common here, huh?_ She slowly stood up and fell the boat rock. "Whoa. Steady, Rie. You don't want to fall over." Suddenly, loud, angry voices, and one calm voice, came through the closed door. Coming closer, she recognized one of the angry voices. Looking around, she saw that, thankfully, she was dressed in and outfit similar to Princess Zula's, and her hair was done up. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Rie sighed and said, "What is it?"

The door opened, and someone who Rie knew to be the captain (though how she knew that was beyond her), came in and shut the door. "Madam Rie, two men are here, asking for you. Shall I send them on their way?"

Rie looked like she was pondering this question, when in fact she already knew what they wanted and who they were. "No. Tell them I shall see them. I will be out on deck momentarily." The captain bowed and left. No sooner had he left then the youngest buyer stormed in. Not giving her enough time to speak, the hot-headed teen gave her his request. Or, more accurately, order, since he made it clear that his order was not to be refused.

"I want to buy your ship." Rie just stared stonily back, with a look that would have made anyone other than her sister and this teen back down. Suddenly, an elderly man came in, bowing to Rie, who bowed back.

"Forgive the intrusion, Madam. Upon hearing that you'd see us, my nephew demanded to see you now." Rie nodded.

"It's fine. This isn't the first time this has happened to me." It was true; Beth never knocked when she wanted to annoy Rie. "Your nephew requested to buy my ship. What for?" she said, sitting down at the small table in her room. _This is so cool,_ she thought. _I'm **actually **talking to Prince Zuko! How many people can say that and not mean Dante Basco? _

The prince snapped, "I did not request, I ordered. There's a difference." Rie made no reply to the prince's remark. Iroh answered her question.

"My nephew is on a quest, as it were, and we need a proper ship to complete it." Rie nodded and got up.

"Ah yes. The quest to capture the Avatar, Prince Zuko?" Zuko opened his mouth, but Iroh stopped him.

"Yes. Our ship was, um, damaged and we need a new one. There were rumors that you were thinking of selling your ship, Madam," Iroh explained. Remembering what Roku had told her, Rie gave the appearance of thinking of a good price. "

"Do you want the ship and crew or just the ship?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Zuko got to it before his uncle. "The ship and crew."

Rie nodded. "In that case, my asking price is 500 gold pieces." Iroh sighed.

"I'm sorry, but most of the gold we had was destroyed when the ship was damaged. We cannot pay you that much. Sorry for disturbing you. Come, Zuko." As the two turned to go, Rie spoke up.

"I'm willing to lower it to 250 if you allow me to stay on the ship with my crew. Not a copper piece less." Zuko nodded.

"Done." Iroh handed the gold to Rie, who muttered, "So _this _is the sale my vision warned me of." Just as Roku said, someone had heard her.

"Vision? You are a Seer?" Rie nodded.

"I was in a trance when you boarded the ship. That is why I didn't see you when you first arrived, General Iroh." Zuko scoffed when he heard this.

"You don't really expect us to believe that, do you?" Rie came closer to Zuko, stopping only a few paces away.

"Yes, I do. If I was lying, would I be able to tell you that your sister Zula has been sent to capture the Avatar by your father? And that the reason you ship was 'damaged' was due to an attempted assassination by Admiral Zhao?" When Zuko didn't reply, Rie nodded and returned to her table. "My point. General Iroh," she said, turning to the retired officer, "there are two rooms open, just down the passage from mine. You can take one of them. The other will go to your nephew." She spat the word _nephew _like it was acid. Iroh bowed and led Zuko out. "Oh, I'm sure the ship's doctor can tend to those recent cuts and bruises, Prince Zuko," she added, knowing that Zuko would refuse.

"I don't need a doctor," he said in that harsh voice of his."

Rie shrugged. "Fine. See you later." After the two left, Rie smiled to herself.

"This is gonna be fun."


	3. Zuko, Roku, and Appa, oh my!

Just a quick reminder to reveiw! I want to know what you think! Not everyone who reads reveiws, and I'd like to know how I can make it better.

Oh, when Rie fell through the portal, she gained ten years, making her 25, not 15. Thought I'd mention that.

_

* * *

_

_Fun?_ Rie scoffed when she remembered what she had said only two days ago. Yes, only two days and already she wished that Prince Zuko had never bought the stinking boat. Iroh, now Iroh Rie could have lived with. But Zuko was annoying, with all his temper flares and obsessions about capturing poor Aang. He was grating on Rie's last nerves. And that was bad, since living with Beth for most of her fifteen years had given her nerves of steel.

Zuko was storming through the ship, furious at having missed Aang again. Rie and Iroh were smart and stayed out of Zuko's way. Sadly, one of the crew members wasn't so smart.

Rie was in her room, eating lunch, when a disturbance from right outside her door made her spill. Swearing, she got up and went to look outside. She groaned when she saw what the problem was.

Chi, one of the crew members, had run into Zuko by accident. Chi had been on his way to see Rie when Zuko abruptly stormed out of his room where he had been meditating in between his wild rages.

Chi was now cowering under Zuko, who looked fit to be tied. Rie couldn't hear all the words being said over various crew members trying to help Chi and Iroh trying to calm down Zuko. When Rie saw fire sprout from Zuko's fist, she did the only thing she could think of to do. She went up to Zuko and punched him. "Don't you _dare_ threaten anyone who's helpless in my range of sight. I don't care who you are," Rie said, breathing heavily. "I'll knock your lights out next time."

Zuko had another bruise, this one on the side of his face. Gingerly rubbing it, Zuko's temper flared, this time at Rie. "Just who do you think you are?" Rie stood tall under Zuko's fiery glare, returning it. To anyone watching, it was quite funny to see a five-foot, three-inches tall young woman glare at a roughly six foot tall teenager. Finally, though, Zuko turned away, muttering. Rie gave a satisfied "Hmph!" and bent down to help Chi up.

When everyone has dissipated, Iroh came over to Rie. "That was very bold, Madam. But I would not anger my nephew if I were you. He has a temper, as you saw."

Rie shrugged and turned on her heel. Heading back to her room, she called over her shoulder, "I don't care. I will not tolerate attacks on any of the crew, regardless of who the owner is. Excuse me, General, but I left my lunch unfinished in my room and I don't want it to get cold." Rie shut her door on a very surprised general.

Rie turned as she shut her door, but all thoughts of food left her mind when she saw Avatar Roku standing in her room.

Gasping in shock, Rie slumped against her door. "Couldn't you have warned me, Avatar Roku? I'm easily scared, you know," she said, gaining her composure. Roku smiled.

"Really? That little scene out there seemed to tell a different story." Rie gave Roku a look, and Roku spoke again.

"I've come here to give you two things: advice, and a little information on Aang's current whereabouts. Again, if anyone where to see you, they'd assume you fell into another trance as you were eating." Here Rie interrupted.

"I'm assuming that whenever I see you, I'm in a 'trance'?" Roku nodded, then continued.

"Yes. Now, unto what I need to tell you. First, my advice. After the incident out in the hall, Zuko will think more highly of you, since no one has yet to punch him, then return his glare unwaveringly. Use this to the advantage of the quest. And, my congratulations on not backing down. Had you turned away, he would have shot at your back.

"Now, my information. Aang is currently above and to the left of the ship. In fact, you could see him from the window in this room. Tell Zuko this when you wake up. Naturally, he will try and find something to lure Aang down to his level. Sadly, Aang will take the bait and someone will fall off of Appa."

Rie nodded. "Katara?" she asked.

"Yes. She will slip on the saddle while trying to calm Aang down. And-"

"And by the time Aang calms down, Katara's already fallen," Rie completed. "But, won't the ship's deck, like, kill her when she hits it? Or is she gonna fall on something?" Roku shook his head.

"I can't tell you. Now, go and tell Zuko that Aang is outside the boat." Rie felt a jolt and suddenly, Roku was gone.

Scrambling to open the door, she rushed to Zuko's room. Remembering not to barge in, Rie knocked. "Enter," Zuko's voice said from the other side of the door.

Rie slowly opened the door. Thankfully, Iroh was there. Rie assumed they had been talking before she came. "Prince Zuko, I have some news that might just be of use to you," Rie said, putting on the tone of a woman clearly unhappy with the Prince.

"The only news I want to hear is of the Avatar," Zuko said, obviously trying to restrain himself from yelling at Rie. Rie noticed that the bruise she gave him was pretty bad.

Flinching at the sight, Rie replied, nonchalantly, "I just saw the Avatar outside my bedroom window." Rie was nearly trampled as Zuko made a mad rush to the deck. Iroh extended a hand to steady her.

"Sorry about that. Zuko gets excited when news of the Avatar reaches him."

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Rie replied dryly, heading up to the deck.

By the time she had gotten up there, Zuko was already looking for something to lure Aang down with. Rie, knowing that this would be the first step to succeeding in her job, helped him. Actually, while he ravaged the ship, Rie stood and thought.

"What about attempting to wound the bison he rides?" Rie said after a few minutes deliberation. Zuko looked at her like she was mad.

"What good would that do?" he asked, continuing his search.

"Well, a wounded animal drops a few levels when they are hit while flying, right? After the bison is hit, you could throw a net over the Avatar," Rie explained, hating the very words she spoke. _I can't believe I said that! I don't want him to hurt Appa or capture anyone! But, if I want to get home, I guess I have to go with it. _

Zuko realized the logic in her idea, and ordered a catapult launched at the Avatar's bison. Rie winced as the boulder barely hit Appa's second leg and made Appa moan. Rie could barely hear Aang's voice calling to the others to hold on. Appa dropped a good bit, but it wasn't close enough for a net, just as Rie had figured.

Suddenly, she saw Aang's tattoos and eyes go electric ice blue. "Aw, damn!" Rie muttered. "Roku could have warned me about Aang goin' all blue on me."

Iroh, who was standing nearby, heard her mutter. "What was that, Madam Rie?"

"What? Oh, nothing," she said, watching horrified as Aang took Appa closer to the ship. Rie watched as Katara stood up to attempt to calm Aang, and slipped.


	4. Katara and Colds

Rie looked at where Katara would land if she kept going the direction she was going.

It would be right on top of Rie.

Rie, having realized this, stood silently panicking. She was not that strong, and was pretty thin. One of two things would happen if Katara landed on Rie; Katara would die, or Rie would end up with some broken bones. Neither choice was something Rie wanted to happen. Rie stood, helpless.

No one else had realized this problem, oddly enough, which made her wonder if her calculations were off. She didn't wonder for too long, as Katara's impact drove the wind right out of her.

Rie fell back onto a mess of ropes that had been there for ages, which cushioned her fall somewhat. _Thank God for ropes,_ Rie thought, unable to speak. Looking down, she saw that the fall had made Katara unconscious. _Great. Now, if someone could get her off of me, we'd be peachy._

The first mate must have been physic or something, because he came over and lifted Katara. Rie nodded her thanks, but found herself unable to get up, still winded.

Zuko, having been distracted by Katara's fall, looked up at Appa. Sokka must have taken control of the reins, because Appa was sailing off to the south. Obviously furious, he stormed over to Rie, who was being helped up by Iroh.

"I thought you said we'd be able to throw a net over the Avatar. Instead, we got that Water Tribe peasant!" Zuko spat at Rie.

"How was I supposed to know that the bison wouldn't fall far enough?" Rie gasped, catching her breath. "I amazed the thing can even fly!" The two went at each other for about a minute.

Finally, Iroh stepped between them. "Zuko, it is not Madam Rie's fault that the Avatar's bison did not lose enough elevation. But, we have gained an advantage."

"What advantage, Uncle?"

Rie gave Zuko a look that clearly said she thought the scar had not only ruined his face, but had damaged his brain. Zuko realized this, and was about to say something more when what Iroh had meant finally dawned on him.

"Hostage. We'll use the girl as bait to capture the Avatar," Zuko muttered. The mention of Katara reminded Rie of something.

"We're out of space. There's no place we could put the girl," Rie said. "I don't think this ship has a prison hold, and there were only three bedrooms."

"We have a prison hold, Madam Rie," the captain corrected. "But we've been using it for crew quarters."

Zuko turned to the captain. "Well, tell the men to move their things somewhere else. We're going to need the prison hold for something else."

"She's a person, Zuko. Not a thing. There is nothing more insulting then being thought of as a thing," Rie said. Zuko ignored her and waited as the men obeyed the orders. The first mate handed Katara to Zuko, since he had been sleeping in the prison hold. Rie giggled at Zuko's clear discomfort. Iroh heard, and gave Rie a bemused look. He clearly thought this was funny as well.

_Who wouldn't laugh at this? If only I had a camera,_ Rie thought.

* * *

A few hours later, Rie went down into the prison hold to check on Katara. Before she even got to the hold, the crew member who had been gathering up the last of his things dashed out, wet. "That girl is crazy," he said to Rie as he passed. "Be careful." Rie nodded and entered the hold.

It was obvious which cell Zuko had put Katara in. It was the only one with a wet floor outside the bars. When Katara saw Rie approaching, she made as if to make a water whip from the canteen at her side. Rie nimbly dodged it.

"You'll have to do better than that, Katara," Rie said, stopping outside her cell.

Katara looked at Rie warily. "How did you know my name?"

Inwardly, Rie swore. She had forgotten to feign ignorance. Her cover could be blown if she slipped again. Thinking fast, she replied, "I'm a Seer, as it were." Thankfully, that seemed to satisfy Katara. "I realize you might not want this, but just in case I brought you an extra outfit of mine." Rie pulled out an outfit similar to the one she was currently wearing, only a bit smaller. Katara took it, though looked at it with obvious distaste.

"I just thought you ought to know Zuko will more than likely be in here to question you on the Avatar's destination in a few minutes. And speak of the devil," she muttered as Zuko entered the prison hold. "Don't expect me to leave, Prince Zuko. Your uncle wanted me to stay down here to make sure you don't harm this girl in any way," she said, a bit louder. Zuko glared at her, then turned to Katara.

"Where is the Avatar?"

Katara gave no reply. Zuko repeated his question, but to no avail. As Rie looked on, she remembered how often she would question Beth about where she had hidden Rie's things, but the immature brat wouldn't answer her, infuriating her to no end. Katara was pulling that same tactic on Zuko, and it was working wonderfully.

"Where is the Avatar going?" Zuko asked, ticked off. "What Earth Kingdom city will he be at? I need to know!" Katara gave Zuko a look.

"Why? So you can capture him? Why do you even want Aang? Why not let one of your father's soldiers do the catching?" Rie winced. Katara had gone to far. She didn't know that Zuko was banished.

Zuko's temper flared, but he calmed down enough to mutter, "I don't want their help. I don't need it." He walked off.

Rie shook her head. "You shouldn't have mentioned his father, Katara. Ozai and Zuko…well, they haven't gotten along for about two years. That's why he's out on the ocean." Katara snorted.

"With a temper like that, who can blame the Fire Lord for not getting along well with Zuko? How can you stand being on the same ship as him?" she asked.

Rie smiled. "I blew my top at him this morning. That bruise on the back of his head came from my fist." Katara laughed. Suddenly, Katara wobbled.

"You must have hit your head harder than we thought," Rie said, noticing. "My advice would be to lie down for a bit. I can assure you, until you crack, Zuko will pester you with questions on A-, uh, the Avatar's whereabouts," Rie said, quickly covering up her almost-slip. _Keeping what I know is proving harder than I thought,_ Rie said. _I almost slipped a second time. Oh, well, like Sensei Koru says, "Challenges make you stronger." _Rie left the prison hold.

When she reached the top deck, she saw that Zuko was practicing, Iroh calling out helpful reminders. Sadly, Zuko either didn't hear the tips, or was ignoring them. Rie, remembering that Roku had "blessed" her with Master Firebending, walked up to Zuko in the middle of a kick, and stopped him dead.

"Hey! What're you doing?" Zuko asked, nearly losing his balance.

"I'm going to see just how well your uncle has been training you, that's what," Rie said. "Not like in an Agni Kai, just a match to see how well you've been training."

"What are you, a Master?" Zuko said, clearly amused at the thought that anyone that short could be a Master Firebender. The smirk was wiped from his face right quick when Rie sent out a shot of flame, barely missing him.

"I'd say I'm a Master," Rie said, falling into the starting position and smiling. Zuko also dropped into the opening position, waited about ten seconds, then shot at Rie's long hair. Rie dodged this shot, returning it with one of her own. "I saw that coming from a mile away, Prince Zuko. Ever heard of feinting? It really works." To prove her point, Rie acted as if she was going for the head, but really shot at Zuko's feet.

This continued for about ten minutes, Rie talking the whole time. _Boy, am I glad that Sensei and I had conversations while we practiced, _Rie thought._ All of my talking is ticking Zuko off. Just like Sensei would annoy me by talking before I had reached that certain level. _With that in mind, Rie shot at Zuko's side, then floored him with a blast to his feet. She chuckled as she went over to help Zuko up. "Not bad, Prince Zuko. But try to prevent your temper from getting in the way of your Firebending. The man who trained me told me the same thing, then added that many a great fighter lost because he lost his temper. 'Lose your temper, Rie, and you lose the match'."

"Your Master was right, Madam Rie," Iroh called from the sidelines. "And how many times have I told you that exact same thing, Zuko?" he added.

Zuko was obviously sore about losing, and being told off by his uncle, but just shook his head and went back to practicing. Suddenly, it began raining. Rie, Iroh, and the crew all made a mad dash for shelter, but Zuko stayed out. "Zuko! You'll catch a cold! Remember what happened last time you were sick?" Iroh called out to the stubborn prince, who just kept practicing, despite every time he sent a shot out, it would fizzle. Iroh shook his head, and went into his room, leaving his nephew to the elements.

* * *

Rie woke up to someone in the next room, coughing and sneezing very loudly. Getting up from her bed, she felt the boat shake. "It's storming," Rie said, looking out of her window. Even though the sky was overcast, it was obviously still nighttime. "Who on earth would be up at this night?" Rie wondered, pulling on her robe and tying it as she went to see what was up.

She wasn't the only one curiosity had bested. General Iroh, and several crew members were up, all heading towards the prince's room. The helmsman got there first. Upon opening the door, he was singed by a rouge flame sprouting from the room.

Zuko had apparently stayed out in the rain for a long time, and had contracted a cold. Iroh put his hands in his voluminous sleeves and shook his gray head as he entered. "What did I tell you, Prince Zuko? You let your foolishness get the better of you, and now look." Rie poked her head in.

The banners that had been in the room were singed. Whenever Zuko sneezed, flames would shoot out of his hands and go all over. Rie had to duck as one flew by her head. "I'm sure there's a proverb for this, right Iroh?" Iroh nodded.

"Yes, but I can't think of any right now. I warned that nephew of mine, Madam!" Zuko moaned and laid back.

Rie felt sympathetic. "I think Zuko gets the picture, Iroh. Where's Zhi?" The ship's doctor came right away.

"Yes, Madam?"

Rie pointed to Zuko's pitiful shape. "See what you can do for him. I'm going to go down to the prison hold and check on the Water Tribe girl. This storm is something awful." The doctor nodded, and Rie left him.

As she made her way down the stairs, Rie slipped several times. "Stupid rain. Makes walking a health hazard." Rie had never like rain, even back home. It made her all melancholy.

Before she had even reached Katara's cell, Rie knew that Katara was sick. "Oh, no," Rie said, looking at Katara. "Not you too. I knew something like this would happen. I just knew it." Rie grabbed the keys to the cell door from their hook and unlocked Katara's cell. "C'mon. We need to get you somewhere drier."

Katara obeyed, muttering, "I wonder where Sokka and Aang are."

Rie nearly slipped again as she replied, "Where ever they are, it has _got _to be better than here. You are sicker than my grandmother's cat was when it ate that rotten fish." Rie led the sick Waterbender up the stairs.

When Rie and Katara got upstairs, Zhi told her that Zuko would have to stay in bed for quite awhile. "That idiot prince should have listened to his uncle, Madam," Zhi said.

Rie nodded. "I agree. Can you help me here? I think she's gotten sick, too." Zhi took one look at Katara and said that she had caught the same thing Zuko had.

"That prison hold is leakier than a bucket. We need to keep her somewhere warmer," Zhi said. "But we don't have any more rooms available." Iroh heard the two talking and came out of Zuko's bedroom to see what was going on. He noticed Katara, whose face had lost it's healthy tan and was paler than his.

"I told my nephew to put her in a drier cell," Iroh said. "Madam Rie, which room is the largest?"

"Zuko's," Rie replied. "I had intended on using it as a storeroom before you bought the ship. I'd let her stay in my room, but it's almost too small for my bed and table, let alone another bed." _I swear that room's a closet!_ Rie thought, yawning.

"I think we'll have to put her in Zuko's room for now. We can put up a divider until the girl is well again," Zhi said, taking Katara from Rie.

"Zuko isn't going to like that," Iroh warned. "And I'm not sure if the Water Tribe girl will like it any more."

Rie sighed. "We don't have much of a choice, General. I think the two sickies will be able to deal with each other for…how long, Zhi?"

"A week at least, Madam."

"A week, then. What're they gonna do, kill each other?" Rie laughed. "I don't think they could kill a fly at the moment. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm tired and my bed is calling." Rie yawned and returned to her room. The last thing she remembered thinking before falling asleep was that she'd done the impossible. She had put Zuko and Katara in a room and they weren't going to try and kill each other.


	5. Confessions and Cures

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Avatar, but I don't. Nickeloden does and I don't think they're gonna sell it. I only own the crew members, Doctor Zhi, and Rie. I am in no way connected to Avatar, execpt as a loyal fan. Any songs I may put in, and I'm not saying I will, are not owned by me unless otherwise stated.

* * *

Trying to kill each other Katara and Zuko were not. Trying to kill Rie for forcing them to share a room until further notice was what they'd have liked to do.

Quite needless to say, when Zuko woke up and saw the divider, he put two and two together. He had heard Rie say she was going to check on Katara before he fell asleep. He could only guess what had happened afterwards.

Katara wasn't that happy either. Rie had confiscated her flask and told Katara that she was on a Bending Ban, as was Zuko, until further notice. To make matters worse, the doctor was trying to force Katara into drinking soup that looked like gooey sulfur. Tasted rancid and smelled worse, according to Zuko. Katara wouldn't have admitted it, but she agreed.

Rie had awoken to sneezes and screams from the next room. Rie groaned and put her blanket over her head. "Not again."

It had been two days since the storm and each morning Rie had been rudely awakened by shouts, sneezes, and swearing. Shouts on Zuko's part, sneezes on Katara's, and swearing on Rie's. Finally, she had had enough.

As Rie emerged from her cabin, Zhi dashed by her. "Those two are refusing to drink the medicinal soup!" Zhi spluttered after Rie asked him what's wrong.

"Haven't they been taking it for the past few days?" Rie asked. "Their bowls are always clean."

"They've been tossing it out the window," a passing crew member said. "Hit me in the head yesterday." Rie sighed.

"Those two are worse than B-, uh, Be," Rie said, covering up her small slip. _This is proving impossible, keeping my knowledge, and family, secret. _"She'd never take anything with the words 'medicine' or 'medicinal' in the name without a fight. Let me see if I can get those two to cooperate with you, Doctor." Rie entered the "infirmary", as she called it. (Oddly enough, the ship didn't have a regular infirmary.)

If it hadn't been for the Bending Ban, Rie was sure that she'd have been hit with fire and ice upon entering. The divider was pulled back, since it was day, and the two teens did not look pleased to see her. Rie shrugged this off, but stayed near the door, just in case.

"What's this I hear about you two not drinking the soup?" Rie asked, thinking how much like her mom she sounded.

"That soup smells worse than my brother's socks and Appa put together," Katara said flatly, sniffing.

"I've eaten better rotten fish," Zuko said, coughing. "And why did you put her in my room?"

"There was no place else," Rie said. "And the faster you two drink the soup, the faster you two will be separated." What Rie didn't tell them was that the hold was rendered unfit for living. Those two would be stuck in the same room for quite sometime.

"I'd rather be tied to a rock and thrown in a lake with man-eating fish than eat that soup," Katara said.

"I can arrange that," Rie muttered. Obviously, that idea wasn't going to work. Bribery worked on Beth and Rie's dad sometimes, why wouldn't it work on Zuko and Katara? _What could I bribe them with? Nothing, except money. _"What if I paid you two to take the soup?" Rie asked, hopefully.

"Bribery doesn't work on me."

"You couldn't pay me enough."

Ix-nay on the bribery. That left only one choice…

Rie sighed mournfully. "Very well, you leave me no choice but to get you two to drink some soup the hard way."

"What? By force?" Zuko laughed, then coughed. "You're not big enough."

"Oh, no, not by force. But you're gonna wish I had forced it down you're throats by the time I'm through," Rie said as she left.

She met Iroh in the passage. "How is Zuko, Madam Rie?" he asked.

"Sicker than a dog and as stubborn as a mule, General. He, and the girl, refuse to drink the soup," Rie explained. "But I'm going to take a leaf from my grandmother's book and get them to drink it, and without force." Rie smiled mischievously. "I'll need a pot. A really big pot.

* * *

Two hours later, Rie returned to Zuko and Katara's room with a covered pot of something boiling. She was using Firebending to keep it hot. Iroh and Zhi were following with two bowls. "Since you two won't drink Zhi's soup, you can drink mine," Rie said as she lifted the lid. 

A smell that is better left undiscribed filled the room. Both Zuko and Katara gagged and covered their faces. Rie, Iroh, and Zhi had their mouth and noses covered with kerchiefs of Rie's. "Gah! What is that?" Zuko gasped, eyes watering.

Behind the mask, Rie smiled. "This? This is an old family recipe. My mother calls it Grandmother's Cure-All. Made from onions, peppers, fermented fish, various spices, pickled anything, vinegar, and water, this will cure anything except seasickness and sour stomachs, in which case it makes it worse. Smell awful, tastes even worse." _Damn! I forgot how rancid this thing is, _Rie thought when a small whiff made it pass her mask. "This could clean the hair from the Avatar's bison by the smell alone."

"I don't doubt that," Katara muttered, face hidden in her blanket. "Even with my cold I can smell that!"

Rie shrugged. "You're first, Prince Zuko. And don't say I ain't big enough, because you're uncle here says differently." Iroh handed her the bowl he had. Rie filled it up and handed it to the prince, who promptly gagged and paled.

"Maybe you'll have a stronger stomach, Katara," Rie said, filling up the bowl Zhi had.

"How is this bile going to make them drink my soup?" Zhi whispered. "This would put anyone off their soup for life!"

"No it won't. This was used against me many times and I still eat soup. Trust me, they'll be begging for that other soup."

"Is it at all possible to get you to take that vile mess away?" Katara asked.

"No," Rie said. "Only if you take the other soup will I junk this one."

Both bowls were immediately handed back.

Later, Rie was dumping the whole pot of Cure-All overboard. As she was disposing of the last bit, Iroh and Zhi came up from delivering the other soup to Katara and Zuko. "Amazing," Iroh was saying, shaking his head. "I have never seen Zuko take to cures so fast!"

Rie smiled. "Thank my grandmother. She first made the Cure-All."

Zhi looked overboard. "What medicinal properties does that cure have?"

Rie grinned even wider. "None. It's called a cure-all because, no matter how vile the cure is for whatever ailment you have, that stuff is always more vile." Zhi and Iroh joined in on Rie's laughing.

* * *

A few days later, Zuko and Katara were feeling better. Zhi said that a relapse was likely, so they still had the Bending Ban, but they weren't bedridden. Almost instantly, everyone wished they still were. 

_Crash!_ The sound of shattering china reached Rie's ears. "What the hell was that?" she muttered. (You'd have thought that being in the world of Avatar for about two weeks would change someone's speaking habits. Not so with Rie.) As Rie went next door, she heard screams emitting from the temporary sickbay. Rie groaned as another bowl crashed.

"What's going on-whoa!" Rie was forced to duck as a bowl broke right above her head. Katara had thrown it a Zuko, but it had missed. "Hey! If you two want to break my dishes, at least break the old ones, not my good bowls!" Rie stood up and brushed herself off. "Now, what in the world is going on here."

From what Rie gathered, Zuko had insulted Katara, who, in turn, had begun throwing things at him. Before much else could be said, Iroh came in.

"I was drinking my tea when I heard noises. Is everything alright?" the concerned general asked.

"Oh, those two are just getting a little bit stir-crazy is all," Rie said, unconcerned. "But they seem to be breaking my good china."

"Oh? I thought that Doctor Zhi had said that they shouldn't do anything strenuous," Iroh said.

"Oh, he did," Rie assured. "Excuse me for minute, but will you come with me, General?" Iroh followed Rie out of the room.

"Those two are going to destroy all of my belongings at this rate," Rie exclaimed once on deck. "I've seen better behaved three-year-olds! What can we do? We don't want them to relapse. I barely survived bout of colds!"

"Hmmm," Iroh mused. "I don't suppose that cure-all works for stir-craziness?"

Rie shook her head. "Sadly, no. Whenever my sister and I would argue, my parents would force us to sit in a room until we stopped fighting. Obviously, that's not gonna work here." Rie perked up. She had an idea that might just help her get those two to fall in love, _and_ cure the craziness.

* * *

Rie led Katara and Zuko to the galley. "Since you guys like breaking my dishes, you are going to wash my dishes. Zhi has lifted his Bending Ban on both of you until these dishes are done. Katara, you'll wash using Waterbending.. And Zuko, don't think that because you're a prince doesn't mean you're getting out of this. You'll dry using Firebending." 

"And to make sure you use your Bending for anything other than dishes, Madam Rie has consented to watch both of you," General Iroh said, coming up behind. "She will not help or hamper you in any way." At the door he left Rie and the two furious teens, muttering something about more tea.

Katara gaped at the piles of dishes. "When was the last time anyone washed these? Six months ago?"

"No, but last night was a big dinner," Rie said, sitting down on a chair. "I'll be over here, meditating while you two cooperate and get these dishes done."

"Cooperate? With a peasant?" Zuko said, disbelievingly. "You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. And you'll cooperate if you want to get to sleep before midnight, Prince Zuko," Rie said. "Now, shut up and get busy. I'm not pretty when I don't get to sleep until late."

It was silent for the first half hour. Then, Rie fell into a trance.

Roku suddenly popped right in front of her eyes. Rie stumbled back. "Roku! Do you always do that?" Rie asked, catching herself on a cabinet.

"Yes, Rie, I do." Roku looked over to where Zuko and Katara were. "I want you to watch what happens. They don't think you can see them right now, being in a trance, so they'll take a break. You can't very well see what happens with your eyes shut, so watch." Rie obeyed. She saw Katara sit down.

"What are you doing?" Zuko spat.

"Stopping for now. She's either asleep or in a trance," Katara replied, pointing to Rie's body. Zuko looked at Rie, and satisfied at her unconsciousness, sat down on a barrel.

"This is crazy," Zuko muttered under his breath. "I'm being forced to wash dishes with a Water Tribe peasant."

Katara, who had heard every word, replied, "Yeah, what would your father think?"

Zuko shot Katara a venomous look. Turning away, Zuko muttered, "He'd think I deserved this."

"What?"

"Nothing," Zuko said quickly, glad she hadn't heard him. Suddenly, he winced. The sudden turn of his head had aggravated a cut on his neck. Katara saw and looked at his cuts, as if noticing them for the first time.

"What happened? How'd you get all those scars?"

"Does it matter?"

Katara sighed. "I'm stuck on this ship with you, your uncle, and a crazy Seer."(_Hey! _Rie thought.) "I think it matters." Zuko thought about it, and, assuming she was right, explained.

"Before I reached the North Pole, Admiral Zhao tried to kill me and hired those pirates to blow up my ship. That's why my uncle and I are on this ship." Katara looked as if she was about to ask what pirates was he talking about, then remembered the scroll.

"Oh. How did you get that scar on your face? The one you had before Zhao."

"That's none of you're business," Zuko snapped.

"Looks like a burn."

"That's because it is, you ignorant peasant."

Katara raised her voice. "Will you stop calling me peasant? I have a name, plus I'm a Master Waterbender now, remember?"

"How can I forget?" Zuko asked. "I'm still sore from our last encounter."

"Serves you right. You shouldn't have moved Aang's body from the oasis. I still don't see why you even want to capture him," Katara asked.

"I need the Avatar so I can- you wouldn't understand," Zuko said, frustrated. "How could you understand? You're just like my sister."

"Sister? You have a sister?" Katara was in awe.

"Yes, and you are every bit like her. A Master Bender, born lucky, someone everyone likes, accepted," Zuko snapped, whispering the last word.

"Accepted? And you aren't?"

"Why do you think I'm out here on the ocean? My father will not let me return to the Fire Nation unless I have the Avatar." Zuko turned away once more. "He was the one who gave me the scar."

Beside Roku, Rie carefully watched Katara's expression. At first it was sympathy, then changed to confusion. "Madam Rie told me that you and your father hadn't gotten along in two years. I guess I know why now. You know, I'm Healer as well as a Master. If you want-"

"I don't want your help!" Zuko snapped. Katara lapsed into silence, as did Zuko. Finally, Zuko broke the quiet.

"I see you still have that necklace. What's so special about it?"

Katara's hand went to her necklace. "It was my mother's. She was killed in a Fire Nation raid when I was about ten." Katara suddenly looked sad. Shaking her head, she said, "If we want to get to bed at a decent hour, we had best get these dishes done." Zuko nodded and they went back to work.

Rie was staring at them, open-jawed. "Oh, my, freakin', gosh. I cannot believe I just saw that happen!"

Roku smiled. "Why not?"

"Water and fire, not trying to do the other in? This defies so many laws of nature, it ain't funny," Rie said, obviously in shock. "Was this all?"

Roku shook his head. "I thought you should know that Iroh has been listening through the door the entire time. And that there has been a pool for how long it takes for the two to fall in love. Smart money is on a month."

Rie laughed. "At that moment, you reminded me of my sensei, Koru Ratava…" Rie looked at the spirit next to her. But before she could ask, Roku was gone and Rie was back in the chair.

* * *

Okay, so far, this is my favorite chapter. I don't mean to rush the whole Zutara, but I had to make it look like Rie was getting something done. And if you can't tell who the sensei is, good.


	6. Poison

Zuko and Katara never knew that Rie, Iroh, and about everyone on the ship knew that they had taken a break during their punishment and had talked without yelling, though Rie thought they might have had a clue when Zhi pronounced them perfectly healthy and lifted the Bending Ban the next day. Rie wished he had waited, though, until after she had told them about the prison hold.

* * *

Iroh laughed as Rie emerged from the cabin, soaking wet and sizzling. "I take it my nephew and the girl aren't too happy with you?"

Rie shot Iroh a look. "Why do I always have to be the bearer of bad news? It's not my fault the hold isn't safe for habitation and Zuko took the largest room. He was the greedy one." Rie shook her sopping hair, spraying everyone around with water. "I'm gonna go dry off." Rie went to her room.

Undoing her hair, Rie started drying it with light blasts of fire. "Who needs hair dryers?" Rie chuckled. "This works just as well, and it's portable." Rie changed out of the wet garments she had on and into a dryer outfit, this one with a lighter red blouse and black pants. As she was brushing her hair, there was a knock on the door. "Yes?"

"Prince Zuko would like to know if you'd help him practice. He needs someone better than him to spar with and the general is too tired," came the first mate's voice.

"Sure," Rie called back through the closed door. "I'll be out in a minute." She heard footsteps retreating. Taking her hair tie, Rie walked as she pulled hair back. "I'll dry my other clothes when I'm done," she muttered, leaving her room.

Zuko was waiting for her. Rie bowed and said, "Remember, this is not an Agni Kai. This is just sparring. No trying to maim, scar, or injure me in any way whatsoever, or I hope you like your cabin."

"Whatever," Zuko replied, falling into the start position. Rie shrugged, followed suit, then shot at Zuko, who nearly fell and returned the blast.

"Oof!" Zuko landed on his back again. Rie shook her head as she bent down to help him.

"Prince Zuko, you need to remember that your feet are not just for kicking. They work for standing up too, ya know," Rie said. "We've only been sparring for ten minutes and I've thrown you off balance, like, ten times."

"Don't remind me," Zuko muttered, rubbing his lower back. He went back to his spot, as did Rie. Suddenly, Rie heard something in the trees on the shore of an island behind her. Carefully looking back, she screamed, "Duck! Bandit archers!" Rie dropped with lightning speed.

"What?" Zuko asked. He saw the archers and ducked, but not fast enough. An arrow pierced his shoulder.

Rie stood up and shot a huge fireball at the archers, who scattered. Satisfied, Rie turned and ran over to Zuko. "Damn!" she muttered. A crew member who had been on deck came rushing over. "Quick, go get Iroh, Zhi, and the Water Tribe girl!"

"Why the girl? Won't she attack us with all this water around?"

"Why? It's not as if she can go anywhere. Just go!" The crew member obeyed with amazing alacrity. Iroh, the doctor, and Katara came even faster. When Iroh saw Zuko on the deck, shot, he moved with a speed that belied his girth.

"What happened?" he asked, kneeling next to Zuko.

"Bandit archers. They must have recognized Zuko and might have attempted raid the ship if I hadn't been on deck and blasted at them," Rie replied. "Zhi, I need you to take this arrow out."

"Help me carry him to his room. I'll be able to do it better in there," Zhi said, lifting Zuko up.

"I can walk just fine," Zuko gasped, wincing every step.

"If you're fine it's a miracle," Rie and Katara said in unison. As Iroh and Zhi took Zuko to his room, Rie pulled Katara aside.

"You're a Healer, right?"

"Yeah."

"How good are you at drawing poison from a wound?" Rie asked.

Katara gasped. "Was the arrow poisoned?"

"I'm not sure. I saw the archer put something on the arrow before he shot it, and I'm afraid it might poison." Rie and Katara walked to the cabin. "Don't tell anyone about what I saw until Zhi says something, okay? No need to freak anyone out for no reason," Rie whispered as they entered.

Zuko was lying on his bed, with Zhi standing over him. "Madam Rie," Zhi said upon hearing her enter, "I need you to pull this arrow out. Iroh is, um, indisposed at the moment." Zhi pointed to the general, who looked like a man about to panic. Katara went over to calm Iroh down while Rie helped Zhi.

The wound was turning an odd shade of yellow. Wrapping her hands in shreds of cloth, Rie had Zuko turn on his side. "It's a straight wound, thankfully. If I snap this end off, the other end comes out clean."

Zuko yelled in pain as Rie removed the arrow. "Watch it!"

Rie held up the two ends of the arrow. "Hey, at least I got it out. It'd have hurt a lot worse trying to inspect the wound with an arrow sticking up into the air." Rie looked at the point. It was coated purple goo.

"Zhi, come look at this arrowhead." Rie handed it to Zhi, who put on his glasses.

"Oh, no! This arrow has been poisoned with Kylon leaves!" Rie could tell by the look on Zuko's face that this was really bad news. Turning around, Rie saw that Iroh had fainted.

"Is there, like, an antidote or something?" Rie asked.

Zhi nodded. "Kylon is a paralyzing poison. You can brush up against the leaves and not realize it until you're half paralyzed. And when it's in your blood, it's even worse. The more you move, the faster the poison works. If someone were to draw the poison out of the blood system, I could give the antidote and it wouldn't kill Prince Zuko."

"Lemme guess; the only antidote for this poison if it is in the blood makes you all jittery and restless," Rie said, silently swearing. "But, once you draw the poison out, why would Zuko need the antidote?"

"Because, even when the poison is out, it can still paralyze because it also hit the prince's skin," Zhi explained.

For once, Zuko looked scared. He seemed to be dumbstruck. He hadn't moved since Zhi announced that the wound was poisoned with Kylon. Something about the name had scared him.

Looking around, Rie remembered that Katara was in the room. "Can you draw out the poison?" Everyone looked at Katara expectantly.

"I don't know," Katara admitted. "If it was a liquid poison, then probably. But isn't Kylon more of a paste?"

Zhi was inspecting the wound, careful not to jolt Zuko. "Madam, did you see the archer do anything to the arrow before he shot it?"

Rie nodded. "Yeah, he dipped it in something. Why?"

Zhi breathed a sigh of relief. "Because that something was a liquid poison." Katara came closer.

"Do you want me to draw that poison out?"

Zhi nodded and stepped aside. He motioned for Rie to follow him. They moved a bit farther from the bed. "That liquid poison was hemlock."

Rie nodded. She knew all about hemlock. One of her friend's horses had died by mistaking hemlock for a carrot. It let out a poisonous liquid that was as deadly as anything. It caused sudden spasms.

"Whoever shot that arrow knew his poisons," Rie muttered. "He knew that hemlock would cause Zuko to have spasms and that the Kylon would paralyze him when the hemlock worked. Easy murder." Zhi nodded and motioned for Rie not to tell anyone. Rie consented and they went back over to Katara and Zuko.

Zuko wasn't paralyzed, because every time Katara drew out the hemlock, he winced ever so slightly. "I think I got it all," Katara said, dumping the last of the poison into a small bowl by the nightstand.

"Are you sure? I can't give Prince Zuko the antidote for the Kylon if you didn't. This antidote won't give him spasms, but it won't do well with the other poison," Zhi warned.

"Well, how can I be sure?" Katara asked, hands on her hips.

Rie looked at Zuko. "She got it all. If she hadn't, Zuko would more than likely have…" Rie made a slitting motion across her throat. "That other poison works rather fast. I'm surprised he didn't, ya know, as soon as we attempted to move him." Everyone, even Rie, le out a breath they hadn't realized they were holding. Zhi nodded, then ran to his room for the antidote.

"Talk to Zuko," he ordered Katara. "Keep his mind off the Kylon. Madam, try and wake up the general. I'll be right back with the antidotal lotion."

Both young women nodded. Rie called out to Zhi as he left, "Send in two of the crew, I think Iroh will be out for awhile." Zhi nodded.

Katara kneeled by Zuko's bedside and began to talk. Rie walked over to Iroh and silently hid herself from view, after trying to get Iroh up. Making sure no one could see her, she did something she was best at. She eavesdropped on Katara and Zuko.

"Doctor Zhi said that the poison shouldn't have any lasting side effects," Katara was saying, "so you should be back to chasing Aang in no time." Rie could hear the bitterness in Katara's voice as she said that.

"You don't sound too happy about that."

"Can you blame me? I'm sick and tired of you trying to capture Aang! You're obsessed with it! It's sick!" Katara shuddered. "It reminds me too much of Jet."

"Who?" Zuko asked, moving slightly.

"This guy we ran into by accident. He was trying to kill a bunch of Fire Nation soldiers at the cost of a village of innocent people. He was obsessed with killing soldiers like you're obsessed with capturing Aang."

Zuko attempted to shake his head, but decided against it in case it aggravated the poison. "I wouldn't kill helpless people to get to the Avatar."

"You almost did on Kyoshi Island. You've made it so it isn't safe for Aang to stay in one place too long," Katara objected.

"If he didn't ride that great flying bison it'd be easier for him to hide, wouldn't it?"

"Appa was with Aang for one hundred years while Aang was in the iceberg," Katara said. "I don't think he'd give up Appa so easily."

Zuko looked at Katara. "He was in an iceberg for one hundred years?" Katara nodded. "That would explain why no one could find him," Zuko muttered. "And why he's just a child."

"He's not _just_ a child," Katara replied, "as you should know. He's beaten you multiple times." Zuko scowled and shot Katara a look. Katara just shrugged. Zuko sighed and looked towards the door.

"How long does it take to get an antidote?" he asked no one in particular. Rie decided to be sure they remembered she was there.

"He has to make sure that he grabs the right one, Price Zuko," Rie said, stepping into the light.

"How long have you been there?" Zuko snapped.

"The whole time. I was trying to meditate, but you two make that rather impossible," Rie said casually.

"You were meditating last night."

"Last night you two weren't talking," Rie retorted.

Katara giggled. "She has a point, Zuko."

"Shut up."

Just then, Zhi returned with a bottle and four crew members to lift Iroh to his room. "When your uncle passes out, he does a fine job of it, Prince Zuko," Zhi commented. "Now, I need you to remove that shirt so I can apply the antidote. It's in lotion form, since the Kylon didn't make it into your bloodstream." At the name Kylon, Zuko again froze. Kylon brought back some memory he didn't want to remember. Katara noticed, and waved a hand in front of his face.

"Prince Zuko?"

Zuko snapped back to reality. Rie could tell that he had just had a flashback, mainly because, given the whole Seer thing, she had seen flashes of it. A much younger Zuko, an upset Iroh, the words "mother", "died", and "Kylon". _I don't have to be a rocket scientist to fill in the gaps,_ Rie thought. _This would explain his fear of Kylon._

Zhi was helping Zuko remove the shirt, since part of Zuko's right arm, the arm that had been shot, was already paralyzed. "I'll need some help cleaning his wound and applying the antidotal lotion," Zhi said. Seeing an opportunity to bring Zuko and Katara closer together, Rie smirked inwardly.

"Katara can clean the wound," Rie answered. "I'm no good at stuff like this." It wasn't lying, really. She could clean cuts with peroxide or rubbing alcohol, but not with plain, hot water. She always made the water too hot. "She'll have to apply the antidote, as well, since she's the only one who didn't touch the arrow." Zhi nodded, and handed Katara a bowl of water and the lotion.

"Madam, I need you to heat the water," Zhi said. "It's cold, and hot water would be best right now." Rie obliged and heated the porcelain bowl. Katara then bended it onto Zuko's injury.

Zuko was obviously in extreme pain now. Rie could see him biting his lip to keep from crying out. There was a great deal of steam as Katara bended the shoulder clean. As soon as it cleared up, Zhi dried off Zuko, who nearly cried out in pain. Rie wanted to do something, but what? "Wait," she said. "Zhi, do we have any alcohol?"

"I think there's a cask of strong wine in the captain's quarters," Zhi answered. "Why?"

"Don't apply that antidote yet. I'll be right back with something to help Zuko. That wound looks hideous and has _got _to burn like lemon juice on a cut." Rie left for a minute, returning with a cup of wine that had been sitting for about twelve and a half years.

"This stuff is really strong," Rie commented. "The captain said that his father gave it to him about two years ago, and that it would knock anyone out who drinks more than half a cup. Which is just what we want," she added, giving the cup to Zuko. Zuko carefully sat up, drank the whole cup, laid down, and in two minutes was out cold.

Katara was able to apply the antidote without any problems. Zhi nodded as he looked at the wounded prince.

"When he wakes up, he will be very sore from all this. Thankfully, we got the antidote applied before any permanent damage was done to the prince's muscles, but removing the arrow and cleaning the cut, well, I don't think Prince Zuko enjoyed that."

"Clearly," Rie remarked. "Zhi, tell all of the crew to be careful when they're on deck. We never know when we're going to pass an island filled with all sorts of bandits and murderers." Zhi bowed in reply and left, taking the now-empty antidote bottle with him. Rie turned to Katara, who was yawning.

"Tired?" Rie asked. Katara nodded. "Can't blame you. Drawing out that poison and bending the water onto the arrow wound must have zapped you."

"Drawing the poison did, not the bending," Katara corrected. "The poison wasn't all water, so I had to focus harder. I'm going to take a nap." Rie nodded and left.

Upon returning to her cabin, Rie shut the door and did a little victory dance. "All right!" she muttered. "At this rate, Aang will win the war and I'll be home in no time." Rie started humming what her friend Jackie called her "Crazy Frog Victory Song". "De-dah-de-dah-de dah dah. De-dah-de-dah-de dah dah. De-de-de-de dah dah, de-de-de-de dah dah." Realizing she was saying it out loud, Rie opened her door a crack, looked to see if anyone was out there, the shut the door.

* * *

I don't own the song Rie was humming. Some other company does, but I don't know who. I heard on my friend's "Crazy Frog" CD and I don't know who owns the Crazy Frog.


	7. Zula and Elephant Koi

"Just my luck," Rie muttered. "We get pass one crisis and another pops up."

It was a few days since Zuko had been shot with the arrow and everything was generally back to normal. Nice weather, good food, Iroh drinking tea, and Zuko trying to find Aang, since he had lost the trail during his recovery. Grant you, Katara was still stuck in Zuko's room (Rie was reluctant to tell the crew to try and make the hold safe for living), Zuko and Katara weren't trying to kill each other, and Rie was getting more normal visions and hadn't had a Roku-induced trance since that night in the galley. But all in all, things were normal.

Then came another storm, this one worse than the one during which Iroh explained Zuko's behavior. Needless to say, no one was outside.

Rie was sitting in her cabin, reading a scroll the captain had found. (Oddly, whenever Rie read something in the Chinese-like language that was written here, the words would morph into plain old English.) The scroll was a history of the Four Nations.

Lacking better entertainment, Rie had taken the scroll to read, and was almost through with the last section, Air Nomads. As she was getting to the part about the Four Air Temples, her door burst open and flew off the hinges. "Dammit!" Rie swore as her clothing was drenched. "Great, now what can I do? It's not like I can stay in here." Rie stood, blasting fire every so often to keep her clothes drier. Shrugging, she walked off. "Zuko and Katara's room it is. I mean, it is the biggest," she added, smirking to herself as she took the now-wet scroll and headed for the Fire Prince and Waterbender's cabin. Knocking, she waited until someone got up and let her in.

"What happened?" Katara asked, handing Rie a towel.

"The stupid door burst open, that's what happened," Rie explained, toweling off her hair. "And now my room is being flooded, seeing as how the door blew off! D'you two mind if I stay in here for right now?"

"I don't mind, but ask him," Katara said, pointing an accusing finger at the other side of the divider. (Katara slept on the door side of the room.) "He's been all moody lately. Not that he isn't always, but it's been worse lately."

"I have not been moody," came Zuko's voice from the other side.

"Uh-huh. If you say so," Katara replied. "He's worse than my brother some days," she whispered to Rie, who laughed quietly.

"Do you still have the extra outfit I loaned you?" Rie asked. Motioning at her clothes, she continued, "I can't very well wear this. I'd get sick!"

"It'd be payback for the cure-all," Katara said, handing Rie the outfit.

"Hey, the cure-all was payback for you two stubborn teenagers not drinking the soup!"

Zuko pulled aside the divider. "Will you two be quiet? I'm trying to meditate."

"Well, I hope you can meditate with Katara on that side of the divider while I change," Rie said. Zuko rolled his eyes and sighed. Slight tendrils of flame emitted from his mouth.

"Fine. But no more talking." He turned away and must have gone back to meditating, because the other two didn't hear a sound except his breathing. Katara rolled her eyes and went on the other side of the room. Rie went to the far corner and changed out of her sopping wet outfit. As she was about to let Katara know she could come back on this side, Rie fell into a trance.

Roku helped Rie up. "Sorry for startling you. I have some important information for you."

"You always have important information for me," Rie muttered dryly. "So far, you've sent me to be a matchmaker, told me where Aang was, and helped me eavesdrop on a conversation. What's it this time?"

"Aang will be heading to the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se," Roku said. "I need you to tell Zuko something different. Tell him Aang is heading for Omashu."

"Okay, and, why?" Rie asked.

"Princess Zula's ship will follow this ship until Zuko captures the Avatar. After Zuko captures Aang, Zula will attack the ship, capture Aang, and kill all others, even you. If you send the ship on another route, then Zula will follow that one, leaving Aang in peace."

Rie cocked her head. "Why not just take that mini-ship all these Fire Nation boats have and fool Zula? Make her believe that this one is following Aang and the other is a decoy."

"She'd see right through it."

Rie looked dejected, but only for a minute. "Exactly. Which is why Zuko, Katara, Iroh, and I will go on the mini-ship." Realizing that she had confused the spirit, Rie explained her plan. "Zula will plan on us trying to trick her, so the minute she sees the mini-ship, she'll follow it, right?"

"Right."

"But, Zula will have assumed that we knew she would fall for that trick, so she'll follow the main ship, thinking she fooled us. But since I anticipated that, Zula will be off following the wrong boat while my job is made simpler by having less people on a smaller ship!"

Roku obviously didn't get it. Rie sighed in exasperation. "Zula will outfox herself by thinking we were trying to trick her into following the smaller ship as a decoy and instead following the big ship, the _real _decoy." Roku finally got it.

"You will have to leave tonight, then."

Rie looked out the window. "_Tonight?_ It's a virtual monsoon out there!"

"Zula won't see either ship very well in this weather, so she might not even see the mini-ship," Roku pointed out.

"Good point," Rie muttered. "But how will we keep our supplies dry while we load the mini-ship?"

"There's a hatch out in the passage. That leads to the mini-ship and its storeroom. No one will be wet. I suggest you take at least five members of the crew. One to steer, one to cook, and three to help keep the ship on course to Ba Sing Se."

Rie nodded. "Okay. What about cabins? I don't think Zuko and Katara will want to be stuck sharing a cabin again."

Roku looked at the divider. "There are only three cabins and a small crew quarters on the mini-ship."

Rie groaned. "I'm not gonna tell them. Iroh can. Speaking of which, shouldn't I snap outta this trance and tell them?" Roku nodded and Rie was suddenly on the floor, slumped.

"Ow," she muttered getting up. Katara heard her and poked her head in.

"Rie?"

"I'm fine. Go get Iroh and tell him to meet us in here. I've got some really bad news." Katara nodded, and obeyed. Zuko got up from meditating.

"What's the problem?"

Rie looked out of the window. "Zula."

* * *

A short time later, Rie was helping to load up the mini-ship's storeroom. "I think that's enough tea, Iroh," she commented as the general brought in a twentieth thing of tea. "We need room for food, too, ya know."

"You can never have enough tea, Madam," Iroh said. "Still, you are right." Rie rolled her eyes as she went to get another crate. Coming around the corner, she saw Katara, carrying a small crate, slip, and fall right into Zuko, who caught both her and the crate. Katara blushed as she murmured an apology and thanked Zuko for catching her. Rie snickered as she saw Zuko blush slightly as well and mention it was nothing.

"Looks like they're in an uncomfortable position," Rie whispered under her breath. Rie had to try hard to contain herself from laughing out loud. "This is priceless."

"What's priceless?" The general had come up to Rie without her knowing.

"Nothing," Rie said hurriedly. Iroh gave her a look, but didn't say anything more. Both Rie and the general took the last two boxes and loaded them up.

"That's everything," Rie said, closing the storeroom door. "Are Doctor Zhi and the crew ready?" The doctor was going with them, in case of another poison arrow.

"Yes, Madam." The doctor and the five crew members were standing, ready to go.

"Let's go," Rie ordered. "Oh, and Prince Zuko, I hope you realize that my mini-ship wasn't part of the deal. It's still mine, you didn't buy it." Zuko glared at Rie, but didn't say anything. Rie assumed that he was ticked off at having to be stuck with Katara for who knows how long. _Well, tough,_ Rie thought. _If Aang is to kick Ozai's butt, then he's gonna have to deal. _

"Are you sure this ship doesn't have a prison hold?" Zuko asked for the tenth time.

"Yes, Prince Zuko, I'm positive. There's not enough room on it. And besides, I wouldn't put Katara in the hold anyway. I'd use it for supplies," Rie said. Zuko shot Rie a hate-ridden glance, but didn't argue, since the main ship would stop at ports more often and could lose a few supplies without it making a major difference and the mini-ship couldn't.

Once everyone was safely in their cabins (and Rie's door was securely shut), the captain of the main ship let the smaller ship out into the sea.

Almost instantly, Rie felt the choppy waves and strong winds batter the little ship. "Let's hope we can make through the night without sinking," Rie muttered, climbing into bed and trying to get to sleep. In a few minutes, she was out.

Rie was the only one who actually a good night's sleep. That was obvious the next morning, when she came out on deck, yawning but in good spirits, and everyone else was groggy and Zuko more bad-tempered. Katara hadn't gotten any sleep at all. She was sitting on a barrel next to the railing, her head occasionally dropping to her chest. "I'd say good morning, but it appears I'm the only who had a good night," Rie muttered, joining Iroh at the railing. "How far did we get last night?"

"See for yourself." The general handed her a spyglass. Rie took it, pointed it in the direction of the main ship's position last night. It was several miles away. And right behind it was Zula's ship.

"We got out just in time, "Rie remarked.

Suddenly, something hit the ship. Everyone latched onto the railing. Rie looked over the edge. An elephant koi had rammed the boat. "Stupid monstrosity of a fish," she muttered.

_Splash! _Rie looked behind her, afraid that Katara, drowsy, hadn't grabbed something to keep her on the ship. Katara was fine. Zuko had fallen overboard.


	8. The Return of Zhao

Wow! over 400 hits! Thanks to everyone who reads, and a spiecal thanks to those who review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. Nickelodeon does.

WARNING: Character death by kinfe.

* * *

Everything was a blur to Rie. All she knew was that Zuko was in the water, and Rie couldn't swim. Thinking fast, Rie called to Katara.

"Bend the water and get Prince Zuko outta there! He's too groggy to swim! He'll die!" Seeing Katara's face, Rie added, "I know that if he dies, then he'll leave Aang alone. But if he dies, there is no way Aang will win the war!" That kicked Katara into gear and she bended the water up onto the deck, bringing up Zuko's limp body.

Instantly, Rie's first aid training kicked in. "Katara, bend the excess water out of him. General, we're going to need blankets, and several cups of strong tea. Really strong tea." Rie turned back to Zuko's body. Katara was bending the water out of him, and it appeared as if life was coming back to the prince's face. Coughing, Zuko sat up.

"What happened?"

Rie sighed and sat back on her heels. "You took ten years off of my life, that's what. You fell in when the stupid elephant koi rammed us." Pausing, Rie added, "This is not turning out to be a very good winter for you, is it, Prince Zuko?" Zuko shook his head and laid back.

"I'm tired."

"And you should be," Iroh said, returning with the blankets and tea. "Being thrust into icy waters after a night like last night would drain anyone of their energy." Iroh handed Zuko the blankets and everyone a cup of tea. "It would be best if you laid down for the rest of the day." Zuko nodded and got up, almost instantly losing his balance. Quickly regaining it, he went of to his and Katara's cabin and shut the door.

Rie sipped her tea, and almost immediately gagged. "Ginseng. Yuk. Didn't you bring any plain lemon tea? Heck, jasmine would be better." _Iced tea would have been good, but I don't think they've discovered that yet,_ Rie thought.

Iroh shook his head. "I only brought ginseng. It was the only type that was on the main ship." Iroh grinned. "And my favorite."

Suddenly, Katara yawned. "Excuse me!" she said. "I'm beat. I think I'll go take a nap." Katara got up off the deck and went to the cabin.

Iroh looked at Rie, who had crossed her fingers. "What?" asked Rie, who had noticed.

"How long do you think it's going to take?"

"For what?" Rie asked innocently. Seeing Iroh's look, she added, "Dunno. I'm wonderin' how long it going for them to _admit _it." She gave Iroh a look and they both cracked up.

* * *

The next day dawned overcast. "Is it ever sunny in these waters for more than a day or two?" Zuko complained. "Clouds make me melancholy." 

Katara, who was standing next to him, laughed. "What? You mean you aren't always?" Zuko was about to reply with a smart comment when something in the distance caught his eye.

"No."

"What?" Katara asked, following the prince's gaze. Seeing the ship in the distance, Katara muttered, "That wouldn't be Zula's ship, would it?"

Zuko shook his head. "That's Admiral Zhao's ship."

At Zhao's name, Rie, who had been walking by, rushed over. "Zhao? I thought that idiot was taken by the Ocean Spirit back at the North Pole."

"So did I. I saw him go," Zuko replied. "How did he escape?"

Suddenly, Rie saw a flash of light, an image of Zhao fighting some spirit, and then returning to the surface world and regaining his ship. "Impossible. General Iroh!" Rie called, turning to look for the retired officer.

"Yes?"

"What spirit looks like a maiden in all black and is really powerful?"

"Death," Iroh replied almost instantly. "Why?"

Rie pointed at the ship. "Because Zhao beat her and is back from the dead."

Iroh looked over the railing. "No, that's impossible! Death cannot be beaten!"

"Well, either Zhao has a twin, or he beat her," Katara said. Turning to Iroh and Rie, she cried, "What are we going to do? We have ten people on our ship and he has who knows how many!"

"Twenty," Rie said. "He has twenty. The rest were terrified of him and ran."

"We're outnumbered two to one," Zuko remarked. "We'll lose."

"We may be outnumbered," Iroh admitted, "but I do not think we are outmatched."

"You just love to say that, don't you?" Rie said, turning to him.

Then, all hell broke lose as Zhao's ship sent a catapulted fireball over.

**

* * *

**

Everyone ducked as Katara used water to cool it and send it back. "Dammit!" Rie muttered. "All of this will attract Zula's attention to us!" she yelled to Iroh.

"Let's hope she thinks Zhao is mistaken," Iroh called back, blasting another fireball as it zoomed overhead.

Minutes later, Zhao's ship was nearing theirs. Once close enough, two of Zhao's crew dropped a wooden plank to connect the two ships and allow the admiral to board the mini-ship. Before Zhao had even crossed halfway, Iroh blasted at him. Zhao merely broke the blast and continued. Smirking, Zhao said, "Trying to blast me, General Iroh? I'm afraid that won't work anymore. You see, I beat Death, making me invincible."

"Yeah, from all except lemurs," Rie called out. Zhao turned to her.

"I don't know who you are, but you will regret that last statement."

"If you mean I have a big mouth and it's gonna get me in trouble, it has on several occasions and I frankly could care less," Rie replied. "And beating Death won't make you invincible. If anything it's going to make her more anxious to get her hands on your worthless hide." Rie could tell that she had ticked Zhao off big time. Suddenly, the admiral was hit with a single water whip. Turning, Zhao spotted Katara.

"The Avatar's traveling companion?" Zhao looked at Zuko. "You've been lucky this far, Prince Zuko," he sneered, "but your luck has just run out." At Zhao's signal, twenty crew members invaded the ship.

Rie's crew members were the first down, as was the doctor. Zhao's crew tied them to the mast. When the four invader's backs were turned, Rie punched them several times in the shoulder blades, paralyzing their arms. As they turned to face her, she kicked all four in the head, knocking them out. "Four down, sixteen to go," she muttered. The unconscious body of another invader flew past her.

"Fifteen to go," Katara called out. Rie shook her head and blasted one as it attempted to knife her.

"Idiot. A blind man could have seen that," Rie commented, looking at the charred man.

Meanwhile, Iroh and Zuko were back to back, blasting every invader in range. "Not bad, Prince Zuko," Iroh remarked. "Remembering your basics, I see."

"Don't talk to me, Uncle," Zuko said through gritted teeth. "I'm trying to concentrate." Iroh nodded and blasted a soldier.

"Whatever you say, Prince Zuko."

Though they fought bravely, Rie and her comrades were eventually overtaken and tied up. Zhao paced the deck of the mini-ship, stopping at Iroh first.

"The great General Iroh, a traitor, according to your brother. Lord Ozai will be pleased when I deliver you to him." Zhao turned to Rie.

"I'm sure the Fire Lord will have many questions for you, young Seer." Rie didn't bother asking how he knew about the whole vision thing; she merely stepped on his foot. Zhao grimaced. "But I will see that you are soundly punished for your disrespect."

"Go suck an egg, Zhao," Rie retorted. "You're not worthy of any respect." Zhao ignored the comment and moved on to Zuko.

"The Blue Spirit, a criminal. Wanted for freeing the Avatar when I had him at my mercy. A traitor to the Fire Nation. You will be hanged for treason."

Rie could see Katara from her position. Aang had never told Katara or Sokka about what had happened after the storm, when he had to get the frozen frogs. Katara's face was a picture of confusion. _She's wondering if Zuko did it out of kindness or so he could capture Aang,_ Rie concluded.

The look on Zuko's face when Zhao announced what the sentence was for treason was one of a man who had no regrets, but was terrified. "I freed the Avatar because I'd have rather spent my life chasing him than to allow you to deliver him to my father," Zuko replied. Something caught Rie's eye. Indiscreetly looking down, she saw that Zuko was attempting to burn through his bonds.

"No matter. You're still a criminal and a traitor." As Zhao turned to leave, Rie saw Katara's expression change from one of confusion to one of determination.

"You're the traitor, Zhao," she cried. "You tried to destroy the Moon!"

Zhao turned to face Katara with an evil glint in his eyes. "Ah, yes, the little Waterbender. I had nearly forgotten about you."

"Shoulda kept your mouth shut, Katara," Rie muttered. Iroh glanced at Rie and she could tell he silently agreed.

"Quiet!" Zhao barked. Turning his attention back to Katara, Zhao continued, "You know, I've been looking for a personal servant. I think you'll do nicely."

Rie could tell by the looks on Iroh, Zuko, and Katara's face that the title "personal servant" meant more than the name implied. And Rie had a sneaking suspicion what it really meant.

Katara's face was terrified. "Never."

"Oh, I don't think you have much of a choice," Zhao said. As Zhao turned to one of his crew, Rie noticed that Zuko had burned completely through his bonds and was steaming mad. Literally.

"Don't do anything stupid, Zuko," Rie whispered as she began to burn through her bonds. "We don't want a dead prince on our hands."

But Zuko wasn't listening. He was too busy punching one of the invaders out cold. Zhao spun around to face the furious prince, blasting as he did so. Zuko dodged out of the way and the blast missed its intended target. Instead, it hit Rie's bonds and burned them through, who instantly burned Iroh and Katara's bonds. As soon as she was freed, Katara fell in a faint. Iroh sent a huge blast at one of the seven remaining crew members, as did Rie.

Zhao realized he was losing, so he grabbed Katara's limp form. Just as Zuko was about to blast him, Zhao cried out, "One blast, Prince Zuko, and the Waterbender dies." He lit a flame and held it to Katara's hair. Zuko let his blast fizzle out.

Rie and Iroh had finished with the invading crew. Rolling the last carcass overboard, the two turned to see what Zuko was doing to Zhao. Zuko was saying, "You kill her, I kill you."

"They're at an en passé," Rie muttered.

"What?"

"A stalemate. If Zhao harms Katara, Zuko kills him. If Zuko hurts Zhao, Zhao kills Katara. The only way to stop this would be for Zuko to kill Zhao quickly and snatch Katara away in case Zhao has one more trick up his sleeve."

"But fire is a slow killer," Iroh pointed out. Rie looked around on the deck. Spotting something, she smiled.

"That's not."

Zhao smirked at Zuko. "Even if you attempted to kill me, you'd find that I'd just beat death and return to my body, Prince Zuko. There is no way you can win."

"What if you don't have a body?" Rie called out. Both Zuko and Zhao turned to face her. In her hand was the knife that had been meant for her. "Zuko, catch!" She tossed the knife.

Both Zuko and Zhao temporarily forgot about Katara. Dropping her, Zhao made for the knife, but Zuko was faster. Grabbing the hilt, he aimed for Zhao.

Rie looked away, unable to bear it. She heard Zhao gasp out, "You got me, Prince Zuko. But I got the girl." Rie turned around.

Using his last bit of strength, Zhao blasted at Katara. Rie heard Zuko yell something incomprehensible and make a dash for Katara. He reached her before the blast and pulled her out of the way just in time. Zhao's face was a mask of fury, but the effort it took to shoot at Katara killed him. He gasped, then died.

* * *

Rie pushed Zhao's body over the side of the ship while Iroh untied Zhi and the crew. They were a bit battered and bruised, but were otherwise fine. It was Rie and Iroh who had gotten the worse beating. Rie's robes were bloodstained and scorched, with singe holes all over it. Iroh's clothing was in as bad a shape. Zuko's armor shone with blood and Katara had a few scorch marks on her clothes and burn marks on her face and arms. She was still out cold. 

Zuko had shed his heavy armor and was trying to wake Katara up. "The shock of what Zhao told her must have terrified her so much that her body shut down," Doctor Zhi remarked, looking her over.

"No surprise," Iroh said. "I'm amazed she was able to hold out until Madam Rie was able to untie her."

Rie, who had gone to fetch a bowl of water, shrugged. "I'm amazed I was able to untie her. If Zuko hadn't dodged Zhao, I'd still be tied up." Rie looked at the prince. "That was a very noble thing you did, Prince Zuko. A little foolish, but noble."

Zuko was about to thank Rie when Katara woke up. "What happened?"

"Zuko killed Zhao after you passed out. You owe your life to the prince. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't be here right now," the doctor said, handing Katara the water. Katara bended the water onto her face. Turning to Prince Zuko, she smiled.

"Thank you."


	9. Monsters and Men

So sorry about the major lull. So, tomake it up to you guys, I'm uploading two chapters! First, Chapter Nine.

Disclaimer: There is no way I own Stupid Cupid. I think Mandy(i?) Moore does.

* * *

Later that same evening, Rie was in her cabin with the window open. As she was burning her ruined robe, Rie heard a sigh. Standing on top of her bed, Rie peeked out of the window.

Katara was standing, as she had been for several hours, by the railing outside of Rie's window. "Katara," Rie called, "you should really come in before you catch cold."

The forlorn Waterbender just nodded. When Katara made no sign as to follow Rie's advice, Rie shrugged and continued burning the robe.

About an hour later, Rie heard the door next to hers open and close. Assuming it was Katara turning in, Rie just ignored it.

Suddenly, outside of her window, Rie heard footsteps. "Zuko," Rie whispered. She stood on top of her bed and made sure she could see but not be seen. She listened as the prince spoke.

"You shouldn't be out here," Zuko said. Rie thought she heard a miniscule bit of concern in his voice.

Rie saw Katara shrug. "I know. It's just…" Katara trailed off and sighed. "I keep thinking about what Zhao said. What he said to me, and what he said to you."

Zuko looked at Katara. "You mean the Avatar never told you about Zhao capturing him?"

Katara shook her head. "Sokka and I were sick at the time, and I guess he didn't want to worry us when we were already so sick." Katara cringed. "The cure for the cold he got from the Herbalist was almost as bad as Madam Rie's cure-all. Frozen Wood Frogs."

Zuko looked doubtful. Katara explained, "We were supposed to suck on them."

The look on Zuko's face nearly made Rie laugh. "Gross!"

Katara smiled wistfully. "Yeah." Suddenly, Katara shivered, even though it wasn't cold outside. "Prince Zuko, why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Save me. I know why you killed Zhao," Katara said. "I mean, he threatened you and insulted your uncle. But why did you save me from his blast?" Katara turned to face the Fire Prince. "Was it so you could use me as bait to trap Aang?"

"Yes," Zuko said hurriedly. "I mean, no. The thought of _anyone _being a 'personal servant' just appalls me."

"Even a Water Tribe peasant?" Katara whispered.

"What?"

"Since you captured me, never have you once said my name. It's always 'peasant' or 'girl'. I figured, after you used me to get to Aang, I'd be a servant of yours anyway." Katara looked back to her reflection in the ocean. "Isn't that what most victors do to their captives?"

From what Rie could see of Zuko through her window, what Katara had said was the exact opposite of what he had being thinking of. _C'mon already! Say more than ten words when you're in her presence! Small wonder she thinks you hate her, _Rie thought.

Zuko must have read her thoughts, because the next instant he spoke. "Why would I make you a servant? You've saved my life on several occasions since you fell from the bison."

Katara shrugged. "All of the tales about the Royal Family of the Fire Nation I've heard are not nice. The only one I know of so far who isn't a monster is your uncle." Rie winced. She should not have said that."

Zuko faced the sea. "Is that what you think I am? A monster?"

"Well," Katara said, "you have been a thorn in Aang's side since he broke out of the iceberg, you've tied me up, nearly destroyed Kyoshi, nearly captured Aang several times, and currently have me on a ship against my will." Katara glanced at Zuko. "Not to mention you look rather frightening with all those scars."

In her cabin, Rie had a sudden vision. It was of Zuko and Zula, two years ago. Zula was looking at Zuko with a look of complete disdain and saying, "You look like a monster with the big scar. I think you could scare anyone who looks at you away!" Zuko was still in pain, so he made no reply. As the sound of Zula's laughter died, Rie snapped back to reality and focused on the scene outside.

Prince Zuko was grabbing onto the railing, attempting to control his temper. "I'm not a monster," he muttered so quietly Rie almost didn't hear him. The prince turned to face Katara. "You don't get it. I wouldn't be chasing your friend the Avatar if it wasn't for the fact that my father banished me when I was fourteen and refuses to allow me my rightful throne unless I bring him the Avatar. I'd much rather not be doing this, but my honor is at stake."

Katara had to ask. "Why did your father banish you?"

Zuko sighed. "I spoke out against a plan to sacrifice an entire division of new recruits in my father's war room. My father told me that I'd have to pay for my disrespect and said announced an Agni Kai. Thinking I would have to fight the general I disrespected, I told him I wasn't afraid." Zuko turned his head. "I go to the ring and see my father standing at the other end. I refused to fight and…" Zuko's hand reached up and touched his scar.

Katara looked abashed. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want your pity, girl," Zuko snapped. "I don't need it." Katara shook her head.

"There you go again, not using my name. I was trying to be sympathetic. Obviously, you've had a life where you weren't looked nicely upon and I try to show you some sympathy. I don't expect you to understand that, but still."

There was silence for a few minutes. "You never answered my question," Katara remarked.

"What?"

"You never told me why you saved me from Zhao's death blast."

For some strange reason, the song _Stupid Cupid_ was going through Rie's head, which made no sense, since Rie wasn't sure what the spirit of love was called here. A movement outside brought Rie's attention back.

Zuko had moved slightly. He was standing a little closer to Katara. "I saved you from Zhao because…" (Rie had to stifle a giggle. Prince Zuko was at a lost for words!) The prince took a deep breath. "Because I knew that if let the blast hit you, you'd die, which would defeat the whole purpose of killing Zhao."

Katara gave him a confused look. Secretly, Rie concurred. She understood he had meant, that he had killed Zhao in defense of not only himself and his uncle, but Katara as well, but it was just so not Zuko. And why hadn't he mentioned Rie? Without her, Zhao would have captured them all.

Suddenly, a cold breeze blew past, making Katara shiver, who, unlike the prince, wasn't wearing a cloak. It was now very late at night and the two had been talking for hours. The half moon was up.

Zuko noticed Katara shivering. "It's late. We should be inside."

Katara agreed and turned to go. As she did, her necklace fell off without her knowing. Zuko saw and bent down to pick it up. Rie crossed her fingers. Would he return it and say her name or not? (Rie had no doubt he'd return it sooner or later, but it was the name that had her worried.)

Rie waited with bated breath, as Zuko spoke. "You dropped your necklace…" he said, pausing. ("C'mon," Rie whispered. "C'mon!")

"…Katara."

Rie let out a sigh of relief. It felt like major stepping stone number two was passed.

At her name, Katara turned around. "I was beginning to wonder whether or not you remembered I had a name, Prince Zuko," she said as she took back her necklace.

As she reached for it, Katara's hands briefly touched Zuko's. Katara acted like she didn't notice and hurriedly left the prince standing there.

Rie saw Zuko pause, shake his head, then leave.

Rie sank down onto her bed. "Whoa," was all she could say.


	10. Of Love and Honor

As promised, here's Chapter Ten.

Disclaimer: I don't own Disney, or _Hercules, _or _I Won't Say I'm in Love_. Or Avatar...

* * *

The next day, the cook told Rie that they were out of supplies. "Is there a city nearby?" 

"Yes; the Earth Kingdom city of Ke Yon," the cook replied.

"Good," Rie said, turning to what was the last of the rice and beginning to eat. "Ask General Iroh who he wants to send to get some supplies."

The cook bowed respectfully and left Rie, who was chewing reflectively on her rice.

She kept thinking about what she had witnessed the previous night. Zuko and Katara were definitely past the "I want to kill you" stage. But what stage were they at? And how on Earth was Rie going to figure that out?

The answer presented itself in the form of the cook returning with Iroh's answer. "The general says that he and the crew will go. He asks that you stay here with Prince Zuko and the Water Tribe girl."

Rie nodded. "Fine by me. Have the captain stop so the storeroom can be refilled at Ke Yon." The cook bowed again and left.

Rie could hear what was going on next door quite well. Iroh was telling Zuko and Katara the plans. Zuko didn't seem to get mad, which was a first. He complained of little sleep. Katara wasn't mad either, saying she hadn't gotten much sleep that night, either. Rie could hear Iroh's confusion in his voice as he left the cabin and disembarked.

"Good," Rie whispered. "Now, how am I going to talk to each of them alone?" Rie sat pondering this over her rice.

Soon, however, she was interrupted by Katara's knock. "Come in," Rie replied. Katara came in, looking quite tired. (_Hmm, she wasn't faking,_ Rie noted.)

"Madam Rie, could I talk to you?" Katara asked, yawning slightly.

Rie nodded. "Of course. Is anything wrong?"

Katara sat down on Rie's bed. "I don't think so."

Rie smiled. "Something is either wrong or it isn't." _Gah, I sound like Sensei Koru. It's the food. Gotta be the food. _

Katara bit her lip. "I'm not entirely sure if something's wrong or not," she admitted. "I feel fine, but something's nagging me."

"Homesick? Missing your brother and the Avatar?" Rie inquired.

"Yes, a bit. But that's not it." Katara smiled. "I'm kinda glad that Sokka's not here. He snores too loud."

Rie laughed. "And the Avatar?"

"Of course I miss Aang. He's one of my best friends," Katara said. "But, oh, I don't know!"

Rie nodded, then had a quick-flash vision. "D'you know someone who constantly chews on straw and has it out for anyone wearing Fire Nation clothes?"

Katara's expression changed to fury. "Jet."

Mentally, Rie hit her forehead. Duh. How could she have forgotten about Jet? For cryin' out loud, the dude was a maniac! "Jet? The one who were talking to Zuko about a few days ago, after the poison arrow incident?"

Katara nodded. "Why?"

Rie shrugged and took a bite of rice. "No reason. I just had brief vision and he was in it." Rie looked Katara. "You were in it as well, and you were crying."

Katara got up off of the bed. "He was using Aang and me to flood a village, and had taken Sokka into the woods so he couldn't warn the village. At first he was really sweet, but later, he was just sick!" Katara cringed.

Rie nodded. "You can't help but think about him for some reason." Rie paused, then asked, "Why are you thinking about him? If what you told me is true, he's not worth you tellin' him the time of day."

Katara shrugged. "I guess he was the first person who I really liked."

"You can never forget that person," Rie said. "Trust me, I'd really rather forget the first one I really liked. But why think of him now? Most people never think about their first, pardon the expression, love, unless someone else comes into the picture."

For absolutely no reason, and with no warning, _I Won't Say I'm in Love, _from Disney's _Hercules, _with flashes of Zuko's face,burst into Rie's mind. Inwardly, Rie's jaw was hanging. _My God, Katara has fallen for Prince Zuko! _Rie's head was bursting.

Katara hadn't noticed Rie's slightly shocked, yet happy, expression. She just went on to explain why she was thinking about Jet. "Well, I guess it's because I like someone else now, and the memory of what Jet did to the village, Sokka, and me keeps me from…"

"Falling," Rie finished. Katara looked at Rie with a confused expression. "That's what my mother called it whenever I'd become "smitten with another one", as she put it. My aunt is like you. Someone in her life hurt her very badly and now she's forty and still unmarried. She never forgave the person who hurt her, and that happened when she was your age."

"What happened?"

"I don't know and I don't care. All I know is that it involved money. Lots of money," Rie said, eating more of her rice. "Who is he?" Rie asked, just so Katara wouldn't think that Rie already knew.

Katara gave Rie a look. "Who is who?"

"The boy you've fallen for."

"I haven't fallen for anyone!" Katara declared, indignant.

Rie gave her a knowing look. "Whatever you say, Katara." The Waterbender left Rie to her rice, obviously ticked.

* * *

Iroh and the crew had been gone for an hour or so when Rie finally left her cabin. Zuko was on deck, practicing his Firebending. As he finished a kick, Rie clapped. "Very nice form, Prince Zuko." 

"What do you want?" Zuko barked. Rie held up her hands in submission.

"Nothing. I was just passing by and thought I'd complement your form. Most Amateur Firebenders aren't nearly that good."

Zuko shrugged and went back to practicing as Rie sat down on a barrel. "I heard you and Katara talking a bit last night," admitted Rie.

Zuko stopped dead. "What did you hear?"

"Not much. Just the reason why you killed Zhao and saved Katara," Rie lied. Zuko seemed to shrug once more, and went back to practicing. A few minutes went by before Rie spoke again.

"You like Katara, don't you?"

The Fire Prince tripped and nearly fell in shock. "What?"

"You heard me," Rie said indifferently. "You've fallen for the Water Tribe girl."

Zuko stopped practicing. "What gave you that idea?"

Rie gave Zuko an exasperated look. "I'm a Seer. I know these things. Plus," Rie smirked, "you stopped practicing when I mentioned Katara. The only things that will make you stop practice is news of the Avatar, emergencies, or bad weather."

Zuko, who had been pacing, stopped when he got to the railing. "You're right," he muttered. "Of course you're right. You're just like my uncle."

Rie shuddered inwardly._ That's a scary thought. _The prince continued.

"But look at me. Banished, scarred for life, not to mention she thinks I'm a monster," Zuko said.

Rie snorted. "Monster? That's a laugh."

"Last night, she said that-"

"I know what she said," Rie interrupted. "But that isn't what she _thinks,_" Rie said, knowingly.

"How do you know what she thinks?"

"She came and asked me a question shortly after your uncle left," Rie said simply. "I could tell by the question and the way she reacted that she doesn't believe you're a monster anymore. She might have thought that when you first captured her, but time can change the way someone thinks. Example. Before, I thought Zhao was a power hungry, heartless ass. Now I _know _that he was a power hungry, heartless ass."

Zuko shook his head. "It's not the same."

Rie nodded furiously. "Oh yes it is. The only difference is her opinion of you is improving." Rie got up off of her barrel. "Trust me, she doesn't think you're a monster. Besides, what makes a monster and what makes a man?" Rie said, quoting one of the many Disney movies Beth watched. "The honor, Prince Zuko. That's what makes a man. And trust me, you have more honor than most people in this world." With that, Rie left Zuko.


	11. Cold Love

**Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?  
Am I making believe I see in you a girl too lovely to be really true?  
Do I want you because you're wonderful, or are you wonderful because I want you?  
Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream or are you really as beautiful as you seem?**  
_Am I making believe I see in you a man too perfect to be really true?  
Do I want you because you're wonderful, or are you wonderful because I want you?  
**Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream or are you really as wonderful as you seem?**_

* * *

Iroh and the crew returned a short time after Rie and Zuko's conversation, laden with food, more fresh water, and a lot of tea. One of the crew muttered to Rie, "If it hadn't been for us, the general would have returned with more tea than food." 

"I don't doubt that," Rie replied, taking a crate of the tea. She carried it down to the storeroom, then suddenly felt extremely cold. Though it only lasted a minute, it left Rie with a sense of foreboding all day.

* * *

When Rie woke up the next morning, she was shivering even under her covers. "C-c-c-cold snap," she stammered, hurriedly changing and wrapping up in her cloak and hood. She left her cabin, lighting a fire before she left to warm it up. 

The deck was a health hazard, coated with ice as it was. Rie stumbled to Iroh's cabin, knowing that if he were awake, he'd have something hot to eat and/or drink.

"Ah, Madam Rie!" The general was already wake and functional. "I see our cold snap has woken you up."

"Shocked me is more like it, General," Rie replied dryly. "I wake up and my coverings are nearly frozen to my bed. I thought these were warmer waters than the Northern Water Tribe's waters."

"So did I," Iroh admitted. "But, who can predict what the weather will do?"

_Meteorologists, _thought Rie. "I was just seeing if you were awake, and to see if I could have some of that lemon tea you have," Rie commented.

Iroh laughed and gave Rie a cup. Rie nodded her thanks, but refused an offer to stay.

"I planned on checking on Zuko and Katara before returning to my room and my bed," Rie said, leaving the general and crossing the passage.

Both Zuko and Katara were still sound asleep when Rie opened the door. Shrugging, Rie returned to her cabin.

Soon after she situated herself in front of the fire, Rie saw the flames make abnormal shapes. Figuring that Roku was attempting to warn her, Rie braced herself for his arrival.

She wasn't disappointed. Avatar Roku was standing before Rie in two seconds. "I was wondering when I was going to see you again," Rie commented. "I haven't seen you in about a week."

"You were doing well on your own," Roku admitted. "But now you need to see what is happening in the next cabin over."

"Zuko and Katara's?" Rie asked. "They're asleep, aren't they?"

Roku nodded. "At this moment, yes. But in about two seconds, Zuko's going to wake up."

Rie smirked. "Ooh, this is gonna be good." She followed Roku through her wall into the next cabin.

Sure enough, Prince Zuko was waking up as the two walked in. Rie could tell that the prince hadn't gotten much sleep.

It took a few minutes before Zuko reacted to the extreme cold. Shivering, he sent a blast of fire at the small pile of wood in the center of the room. Yawning, Zuko got up and sat shivering by the fire he had started. "It's almost as cold as those waters," Zuko muttered to himself.

"What waters?" came Katara's groggy voice from her bed.

"The North Pole waters," Zuko replied. "It's a cold snap."

The lump that was Katara shivered. "Brrr. Not even the Winter Solstice back home is this cold." Katara yawned and sat up. "Might as well get up now." Katara attempted to stand, but collapsed.

"Ow. I think my legs have fallen asleep or froze," she said. She tried to move them. No response.

Zuko went over to Katara, kneeled, then used Firebending to help bring the life back into her legs. Rie saw Katara blush slightly.

"Thanks," Katara muttered as Zuko returned to his spot. The prince just shrugged. Katara stretched once more, then joined Zuko, sitting on the opposite side of the fire.

Nothing was said while the two teens warmed themselves up, which made Rie very ticked off. The spirit next to her saw this.

"You are allowed to interfere with something if you feel it necessary, Rie." The girl gave Roku a grateful look and made the fire go out with the bending she had been granted.

Zuko, who had been preoccupied, noticed the flame go out. Sighing, he blasted the wood once more, but found that the flame went out, thanks again to Rie. "Stupid wood," Zuko muttered. He got up to get more from the pile next to the cabin door.

"Never thought Madam Rie's suggestion would come in handy," Katara said, grabbing her quilt. (The parka she usually had had stayed on Appa when she fell.)

"What?"

"Madam Rie was the one who suggested we keep some sort of kindling in here, in case we needed a permanent fire," Katara explained. The prince shrugged as he set more down and lit it, this time the flame staying lit.

Katara, wrapped in her covers, smiled. "I guess Firebending has its bonuses," she remarked. Again, Zuko just shrugged.

"Is something wrong? You've barely said a word, and usually you make some comment about how slow we're going," Katara said.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," Zuko told her.

"I thought I heard someone moaning," Katara mused. "Bad dream?"

Zuko looked like he was about to say yes, but changed his mind. "No. My scars were bothering me."

Katara shifted a bit. "I don't see why you won't let me heal some of the worse ones."

"I don't need your help," Zuko snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you? I've never needed help, and I don't want it."

If Rie could have given the prince a piece of her mind about how he knew he needed the help, but was afraid that asking would show weakness, she would have. Instead, she had to stand quietly, since no one could hear people in the spirit world.

Katara may have not be able to hear Rie's voice, but she sure got the thoughts, because in the next instant, Katara said, "What are you afraid of? It's not like I'm going to hurt anyone. Besides, I don't think that anything scares you."

"One thing does," Zuko whispered.

"What?" Katara asked. Then, she answered her own question. "Showing weakness? Asking for help doesn't show weakness. If that was the case, then Aang would be as weak as a baby. He knows that he needs help, and asks for it. Grant you, it's usually spiritual help, but it's still help."

Zuko turned away. "Why would you want to help a monster?"

It took Katara a minute to realize what he was saying. "Oh, about that. I'm sorry for what I said. I was missing my brother and Aang more than usual and thinking how if Appa hadn't been hurt by your catapult or whatever, I wouldn't be here right now," Katara said, truly sorry. "I don't really think you're a monster."

"That's not what you said."

Rie had to do a double take. Didn't he say almost the same thing when Rie told him that Katara didn't hate his gut and think he was a monster? "What is it with teenaged boys and not taking people seriously?" she asked no one in particular.

"He did take what you said seriously," Roku said. "He just wants to hear it from Katara."

Rie rolled her eyes. "No matter where you are, teen boys are _really _annoying," she muttered, turning her attention back to Zuko and Katara.

Katara bit her lip. "You've never really talked to a girl my age, have you?" (Rie had to laugh at that.)

Zuko snorted. Katara looked at him. "I'm gonna take that as a no. Sometimes, we, and by that I mean people, say things we don't _really _mean. Haven't you ever done that?"

Rie watched Zuko's expression very carefully. She saw him let out a sigh. _This could very well be it,_ Rie thought.

The Fire Prince nodded. Katara smiled. "See? Just because I said you're a monster doesn't mean I think so."

Zuko looked at Katara. "What do you think, then?" He looked at her keenly.

From her unseen position, Rie could tell that Katara had hoped that he would not have asked that. "Wh-what?" the poor Waterbender stammered. "What do I really think?" Katara reached up and touched her necklace. Rie, knowing that the necklace had been her grandmother's engagement ring-type-thing, got what Katara meant. Zuko, though, didn't.

"Well?" Zuko asked, getting impatient. Katara bit her lip. Shaking her head, she got up, nearly crying, and tried to run out of the room.

Rie, thinking fast, ran over to the pile of wood in the room and knocked several pieces of the wood down. This caused Katara to trip and fall back, right into Zuko.

Zuko had stood up, ready to follow Katara, so Katara landed in his arms. Again. Rie watched hopefully as the two started blushing furiously, Katara's face wet with tears. Zuko helped Katara upright, his face not as deep a shade of red as hers. Katara was now at sobbing stage. Rie could barely hear her mutter repeatedly, "No, no, not again."

Behind them, the fire had spluttered out on its own, leaving them in semi-darkness and chill. Katara had shed her covering when she had bolted, so she was cold, crying, and confused. There wasn't much Zuko could do about the latter two, but he gave her the robe he had wrapped up in when he woke up. This was obviously something the poor prince had never dealt with.

Rie turned to Roku. "I know that they can't see or hear me, but is there some way I could, like, you know, tell that stupid prince what to say?"

Roku looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Like, tell him that now would be a perfect time for him to admit something he's being trying to deny for the longest? And I am _not _talking about needin' help, either," Rie said, crossing her arms.

During this little conversation, Katara had broken away from Zuko. "I can't tell you what I really think, Zuko," Katara whispered.

Zuko shrugged, trying to put on his normal, impartial front. "Very well," he replied. Attempting to light the fire again, he muttered, "That stupid Seer was wrong. I shouldn't have listened to her."

Katara had heard him. "What did Madam Rie say?"

"She said-nothing," Zuko said. "What does it matter? She was wrong."

_Was not,_ Rie thought. _If you admitted something, I'm sure Katara will. _

Katara sat back down, next to Zuko this time. After the fire started, there was silence for a few minutes, each of the two teens preoccupied with their own thoughts.

Rie gritted her teeth in frustration. "Those two are impossible! And Zuko's clueless!

Roku laughed. "I'm sure if he had known about the necklace's history, he might have understood."

"Yeah, good point. Why won't Katara confess?"

"Not only is she dealing with the memory of Jet, she feels if she tells Zuko, she'll be betraying Aang, Sokka, and her people."

"Talk about Stockholm Syndrome, huh?" Rie commented. "If only Jun had said the 'girlfriend' comment loud enough for Katara to hear. That'd give her something to ask Zuko about. It'd also be hard to bluff his way outta that one."

Apparently, Jun _had_, and Katara remembered, because she asked, "Something's not right."

"What?" Zuko snapped.

"I keep remembering back at the Abbey, when Aang got my necklace back from you. That woman with the horrible monster with the tongue, what was her name?"

"Jun."

"Well, I remember she had made a comment about your girlfriend. What was that about?" Katara asked.

_Thank God. We're finally get somewhere with these two,_ Rie said, sighing in exasperation. Roku smiled and pointed to Zuko and Katara.

The Fire Prince was staring into the fire. "She thought that I was trying to get you, since her 'pet' was using your necklace to trace you and the Avatar."

"And what did you do about the girlfriend comments?" Katara inquired.

Zuko looked away. "I ignored them. What's so special about that piece of jewelry anyway?"

"I told you, it was my mother's, and my grandmother's before that. My Waterbending Master had given to her because they were arranged to be married." Katara smiled wistfully. "Gran-Gran wasn't too happy about the whole arranged marriage idea and ran away."

Zuko looked up. "It was an engagement present?"

Katara nodded and her hand instantly touched it again. "I had thought it was just some heirloom," Zuko said.

"So did I, until someone at the North Pole told me otherwise," Katara admitted. There was some more silence. Finally, Katara broke it.

"Zuko, about what I really think of you, well…" Katara trailed off. She placed her hand on his.

At that precise moment, _Something There _burst into Rie's head. "Curse my little sister!" she exclaimed.

Roku looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

"She watches all these movies and anytime something like this," she said, pointing to Katara and Zuko, "happens, a song from one of the movies just pops into my head. Though, usually, it has some connection to the scene I'm witnessing," she added, focusing on the two teens.

The prince was looking away from Katara, but he hadn't withdrawn his hand. Rie could see that he had absolutely no idea what to say or do. All of the thoughts, emotions, and what Rie had told him, were flooding back to him. (_Well, one thing's obvious, _Rie thought. _He definitely has an emotion capacity that is more that anger, regret, anguish, and pain._) Zuko's hand touched his scar briefly.

"Madam Rie was right, I guess," he murmured.

"What did she say?" Katara asked again.

"She told me yesterday that she had heard us the night before talking. She said she heard you say you thought I was a monster and the reason I saved you from Zhao's blast," Zuko said. "Then she said…something else, and said that you had asked her a question just before she left her cabin."

Katara looked a bit embarrassed. "Did she tell you what he question was?"

Zuko shook his head. "No. But she did say that you didn't think I was monster, regardless of what you said."

Katara smiled. "I told you that, didn't I?" The smile faded. "What did she say to you before telling you the exact same thing I did?"

Zuko tensed. "Nothing," he said. Then, he whispered, "She pointed out something I had been denying."

"What?"

The prince looked at Katara. "That I…" he trailed off.

"These two are incapable of finishing a complete sentence, aren't they?" Rie complained to Roku. Roku just shrugged.

In the silence after Zuko's incomplete sentence, Katara's hand went up to Zuko's scar. Gently brushing it, she muttered, "That had to hurt."

"It still does sometimes," Zuko told her. "Though not as much as it did." He paused. "Katara, I love you."

"Yes!" Rie exclaimed. "I thought that the idiot would never get it out. They've been alone for hours and it's taken him this long to finish his sentence!"

Roku smiled. "I understand how you feel. I felt the same way when I mastered Airbending all those years ago. It had taken me ten years to get it." The two turned their attention to the scene.

Katara, meanwhile, was in shock. "What?"

Zuko sighed. To Rie, it looked like he felt a huge weight was gone. She had to agree. Waiting… almost a month to admit something like that was like her having twenty bucks from her birthday and saving it for almost three weeks.

The prince looked at Katara, whose face had gone from tan to white, back to tan, then to red in a matter of minutes. "Really?" she asked. Zuko nodded. Katara smiled. "I…" Suddenly, Katara was hyperventilating. "No. I'm not going to let that happen again," she cried tearfully. She broke down.

Zuko looked hurt. (Rie, at this time, was swearing worse than a sailor at Katara. It was obvious that she kept thinking of what happened with Jet.) Katara looked at Zuko and stood up.

"It's not you, Prince Zuko. I just can't help but remember the last time I 'fell for someone', as Madam Rie put it," Katara said. "She's infuriating when she's right. Madam Rie told me to try and forget about Jet, but what he did hurt me way too deeply. The truth, though, is that I love you, too." Katara starting crying even harder.

"What the heck!" Rie exclaimed. "I know that us teenage girls are emotional, but this is ridiculous. I've got some weepy friends, but none of them are this bad."

"Remember, Rie," the spirit said, "Katara feels like she just betrayed her family and Aang. In her mind, falling in love with the enemy is not good. If anything, it's treason. Imagine how she must feel." Rie paused, then nodded.

"Good point. If I want to get home, Zuko had better do something to help this problem and fast."

Rie was in luck. Zuko got up off the ground and went over to Katara. Placing his hand on her shoulder, Zuko asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Katara was really sobbing now. "Because I feel like I just betrayed Sokka, Aang, everyone." Katara used her sleeve to wipe off her face.

Zuko turned Katara to face him. The Waterbender just collapsed into Zuko's arms. The prince helped Katara to her bed. There were slightly frosted wet trails on her cheeks from the tears as Katara sat down. Soon, Katara calmed down enough to speak without sobbing. Taking Katara's blanket, Zuko wiped the trails from her face.

"Thanks," Katara whispered, then yawning. "Sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night, and all this excitement has made me a tired. I'm going to try and nap." Katara leaned over to Zuko and kissed his cheek.

As Katara lay back, Rie was doing her victory dance and cheering. "Yeah! Does this mean I can back home now?" she asked Roku.

Roku shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, but this was the first step to helping Aang win the war, Rie. There is still more to do before you can return home."

Rie sighed. "Okay. I've gotten kinda attached to this place anyway. I guess I can wait. How much longer?"

"Until the war is over, I'm afraid," Roku apologized. "Now, it's time for you to go back to your body."

Rie smiled as she stepped through the wall and felt the return to her body. "Wait 'til the girls hear about this little adventure," she said, taking the teacup that was long-since cold and heating it up. "They'll never believe it."

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Something There. Disney does. 

The quote at the begining is from Rogers and Hammerstien's Cinderella, which I don't own. I thought it kinda fit, so I stuck in. This Chapter is NOT THE END OF THE FANFIC! There is still a lot more to come, so don't even think that this is the end.


	12. Visions and Boomerangs

The cold snap went on for about three days. Very little progress towards Ba Sing Se was made during that time. Not that anyone really minded. Rie was tired of the constant motion, as was Iroh, and the crew was glad for the rest. As for Zuko and Katara, they just spent time in the cabin they shared.

When the weather finally warmed up, the helmsman put on double speed and stayed that way for about two days.

On the third day, the captain called Zuko, Iroh, Katara, and Rie to the navigation headquarters.

"In order to get to Ba Sing Se, we'll have to abandon the ship right here," the captain told them, pointing to a small stretch of shore. "The Earth Kingdom builders weren't idiots. Ba Sing Se is landlocked on all sides, with the exception of the Mei Qing Yuan River, but no ship could navigate it. It's too shallow."

Iroh nodded. "I remember that river. Nearly drowned in it. It wasn't shallow when I laid siege to Ba Sing Se."

"For a human, it's quite deep," the captain agreed. "But it's too shallow for our ship. My advice would be to take food, medicines, and some sort of weapon. The area surrounding Ba Sing Se is a breeding ground for plants that can cancel out Firebending for a few hours. Yet another wonderful invention of the Earthbenders," the captain said with bitterness.

The general nodded again. "I remember those plants as well. A quarter of my men were out because they couldn't bend for hours. They were also quite bothersome, since they attracted mosquitoes," Iroh added.

Rie pointed out something. "There's a problem. As soon as the guards see Iroh, they'll go ballistic. He's kinda hard to forget. Zuko mightn't have any problems, but Iroh will."

"Good point, Madam," the captain said. "Any suggestions as to solving this problem?" The five stood thinking.

Finally, Zuko spoke up. "There are three options. Wait until the Avatar leaves Ba Sing Se to learn Firebending," he said, pausing.

Rie shook her head. "That could take all spring. We don't have that amount of time."

"Leave my uncle here until we come back."

"That might work," Rie mused. "That is, if General Iroh would be willing. Next idea."

Zuko looked out the window. "We give up on capturing the Avatar."

This shocked everyone, even Rie. Prince Zuko was offering to lose the Avatar.

"Zuko, did I hear you right?" Iroh asked. "You are _willing _to give up on the Avatar?" Zuko nodded.

To shock everyone even more, Katara spoke out against that idea. "Zula or someone else could get Aang if you gave up on him. I don't want anyone to capture Aang, but if someone has to capture him, I'd rather it not be Zula."

Rie looked at Zuko. "She has a point. Zula would more than likely kill him as soon as look at him." She shrugged. "Looks like we have to leave Iroh behind until we return, with or without the Avatar. You do realize as soon as he gets word of your arrival to Ba Sing Se, the Avatar will more than likely go on to the next city."

Suddenly, Iroh exclaimed, "The Avatar will not be heading to Ba Sing Se. When we were docked at his harbor, Zhao said that the city will be the Fire Nation's by summer's end."

_That makes sense,_ Rie thought. _Sozen's Comet _is_ coming at that time._

"Where else would he get training?" Zuko asked. "All of the other cities have been taken."

"Omashu hasn't," Katara blurted. "It was free when we stopped there a few weeks ago, after Kyoshi."

Rie's sight suddenly switched from the room she was in to a picture of Sokka's map. In red, a city was circled with other Earth Kingdom cities crossed out, Omashu one of them. When she could see the room again, Rie demanded a map. Laying it out in front of her, she looked for the city she had seen.

"There. What's the name of that city?" she asked, finding the one she was looking for. Iroh looked at it.

"Chang Li. Why?"

Rie rolled the map up. "I have a funny feeling that the Avatar will be going there.

Soon, the ship had turned slightly east and was on course to Chang Li in search of the bison that denoted the Avatar's presence. However, that would prove slightly unnecessary.

* * *

About an hour after Rie had told them where to go, Rie was on deck. Suddenly, a shadow fell on the deck. Looking up, she saw Appa above her. Running, the poor girl shouted, "Prince Zuko! There's something you need to see!" 

Rie could distinctly hear Sokka above her tell Aang to "blast her with an Air Ball". Aang must have obeyed, because Rie was hard put to stay in front of the current of air that began to chase her.

Zuko, Iroh, and Katara came rushing onto the deck. "The Avatar!" Zuko exclaimed.

"Obviously," Rie remarked.

Above them, Sokka had spotted his sister. "Katara!" he called down.

Katara looked up and shouted back, "Sokka! Aang! What are you two doing? You could get hurt!"

"We're trying to save you!" Aang called back. "Hang on!" The young Airbender floated down to the deck and ran over to Katara. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Katara said. "Aang, you should be heading for an Earth Kingdom city, not playing the hero!"

"She's right," Rie, who was standing nearby, whispered. Aang looked at her, and in that instant, Rie knew that someone other than Roku knew that she wasn't from that world.

Suddenly, two of the crew had Aang's hands pinned. "What do you want with the Avatar, Prince Zuko?" they asked.

Both Rie and Katara looked up to Sokka, a sixth sense triggered. He had his boomerang out and was aiming at Zuko's head. "Duck!" Rie cried instinctively. Everyone on deck ducked, even Aang. The boomerang missed its target. Zuko turned to Sokka, not seeing the boomerang come back around.

The speed of the boomerang would kill Zuko if it made contact, Rie knew. Iroh realized that as well and was yelling at Zuko to duck, but Zuko wasn't listening. (Rie supposed she could have burned the boomerang to ash, but it _was _a gift from Sokka's father.)

Suddenly, the boomerang froze. Literally. Katara had frozen the boomerang. She then used sea water to water whip the two holding Aang and knock them out. Breaking the boomerang out of the ice, Katara shoved it at Aang, saying, "Get outta here! Take Sokka and get to an Earth Kingdom city!"

"But what about you, Katara?" Aang asked, worried. Katara gave him a small shove forward.

"I'll be fine! Get! Earthbending is more important than me right now! And tell Sokka not to throw that boomerang at Prince Zuko that fast again," Katara cried. Aang obeyed, but he was clearly upset.

"Yip yip!" Aang called out as he led Appa higher. Sokka looked down at Katara, his eyes full of confusion.

After the bison was out of sight, Katara ran off crying to her cabin. Zuko made to follow, but Rie and Iroh stopped him. "Let Madam Rie talk to her first, Prince Zuko," Iroh advised.

Rie agreed. "It would be best right now. Seeing you might just make her more upset at this moment. I'll only be a minute," she called as she followed Katara.

The Waterbender was on her bed, crying. "Katara? It's me," Rie said as she entered. She got a sniff in reply. "What's wrong?"

"Didn't you see what I did?" Katara asked, teary. "Sokka probably thinks I've either lost it or betrayed Aang, Aang's worried about me, and Zuko will probably never speak to me again."

"Hey, who said that?" Rie asked. "Your brother is being a big brother. He's worried for you. It's in the Avatar's nature to worry about those he cares for. Zuko will more than likely ask you why you water whipped the crew members, but you'll be able to handle it." Rie sat down. "And everyone, or most of us, will understand if you feel like doing what you did was the only way to not show loyalty to one side and not the other. I mean, you're a Waterbender in love with the Fire Prince. Common sense."

Katara looked at Rie. "What?" Rie gave Katara a look.

"No one else knows, but remember? I get visions. Hiding something as important as this is not gonna work, Katara," Rie said. Katara smiled through her tears.

"We can try, can't we?" Rie laughed and shook her head.

Zuko entered the room. "Katara?" Katara looked at him, then looked down at her lap. Rie slowly got up and made her way to the door. Zuko didn't notice Rie's movement and shut the door behind him as he made his way to Katara. Rie shrugged and hid in the shadows.

Katara kept her gaze averted. "Katara, are you okay?" Zuko asked.

Katara shook her head. "No. You must think I don't know where my loyalties lay." Zuko lifted Katara's chin.

"Not really. I wonder some days if my loyalties really belongs to the Fire Nation," Zuko admitted.

Rie could tell that this was going to be a _very_ private conversation and wished there was some way she could get out without being noticed. Thankfully, the door blew open with a huge gust of wind (Zuko hadn't shut the door tight enough). Rie quickly made her way out of that cabin and to her own.

"Whew," Rie breathed as she shut her door. "I need a drink of water." She took a glass from the pitcher beside her bed and lay down. She instantly had a vision.

It was not on the ship, that was for sure. Looking around, Rie realized she was on Appa. She squealed with delight and sat back to watch what Sokka and Aang were doing.

Sokka was sitting, stretched out over Appa's saddle. "I'm tellin' ya, Aang, something's up with Katara. She willingly stayed with Zuko? I don't believe it."

"She did," Aang called from Appa's head. "Zuko sure didn't tell her to, nor did that lady with them."

"About that lady. I don't like her. She called Zuko out, then told you to go to an Earthbending City? That's weird."

"I told you, I don't think she's from here."

"Where else could she be from? The Spirit World?" Sokka scoffed.

"Well, I got something connected to the Spirit World from her alright," Aang said, shrugging. "She could be a Seer, though."

Sokka snorted and stopped talking for a minute. "What did Katara tell you to tell me again?"

"What? Not to throw the boomerang at Prince Zuko that fast again?" Aang replied.

"Yeah. That's not like her. Usually she wants him dead," Sokka mused. Suddenly, Rie saw a look of dawning on his otherwise clueless face.

"I can't believe it!" the warrior exclaimed.

"What?"

"Them! I can't believe it!"

"Who?" Aang asked.

"My sister! She's in love with Zuko!"

"Oh," Aang said. It took a minute to register. "What? That's ridiculous, Sokka. Have you been eating lichi nuts again?"

"I'm serious, Aang. Why else would Katara willingly stay with him and then freeze my boomerang when I was this close to killing him?" Sokka asked, his fingers about two centimeters apart. "Plus, Zuko would have had her tied up, not running free, if he was really keeping her prisoner." Sokka sighed. "Looks like we'll be going without my sister for a while. I hope you learned enough Waterbending moves to practice with, Aang."

Aang looked crestfallen. Rie felt sorry for him. He had had a crush on Katara for the longest. _I wish there was someway Aang could find someone else, _Rie thought. Suddenly, Roku's face popped up, winked at her, then vanished. Rie had a funny feeling that Aang was going to find someone else as she woke up back in her bed on the ship.

She was only up for a few minutes when she had another vision, this one of Zuko and Katara in the other room.

Katara was no longer crying. Instead, she was sleeping. Rie assumed that the excitement from the morning had zapped her. Zuko was by his bed, meditating. With every breath, the flames of the candles would either fill the whole room or nearly go out. Why Rie was having this vision was beyond her until she heard Katara stir.

Zuko turned from his meditating. "You're awake."

_This guy loves to state the obvious, _Rie thought.

Katara sat up and nodded, rubbing her eyes. "Sorry for passing out. With all that had happened…" Katara trailed off. The prince got up.

"It's fine. You were trying to tell me something before you, um, fell asleep. What was it?"

"Oh, Madam Rie knows what happened during the cold snap a few days ago," Katara said.

"She's getting to be aggravating," Zuko said. "Always knowing things she has no business knowing."

"She told me that, as a Seer, hiding important secrets from her is not going to work," Katara explained. "Though how what happened then is important is beyond me. Unless it's, like, a first or something." She smiled, but it quickly faded. "This is too confusing."

"What's confusing?" Zuko asked.

"Everything. I miss my brother and Aang, but if I went with them, I'd miss you, and," Katara laughed, "even your uncle and Madam Rie, infuriating as she is." Katara paused and looked away for a few seconds. Turning to face Zuko, who had seated himself on her bed, she said, "Prince Zuko, I don't think that-" She was cut off as the prince's lips touched hers.

Slowly, Katara pulled away. (_That shut her up, _Rie thought.) Riecould tell by the looks on both Zuko and Katara's faces that it was the first kiss (real kiss) for both.The Waterbender looked away. "I wish you hadn't done that, Prince Zuko. We'll both regret it."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you realize that now, even if you do capture Aang and take him to your father, the likelihood of you getting the throne is almost nothing? And that, if my brother finds out, he'll probably disown me?" Katara said.

Rie flinched. _Why does she always have to point out what I was trying to forget? They were doing soooo good, too. _She had a visual of the stock market graph with a sharp downward turn.

Zuko looked at Katara. "If I was back in the Fire Nation, my father would have arranged who I was going to marry on my sixteenth birthday."

Katara cringed. "Another stupid tradition. What is with people and arranged marriages?" she asked. "Do they ever really work?"

"It did for my uncle," Zuko replied. "But in most cases, it doesn't. Look at my parents. But that's not the point, Katara," he said. "If my father captures Ba Sing Se, it will only be a matter of time until the North and South Pole fall as well. And I have a feeling that, no matter what, my father won't restore me to my rightful place on the throne."

_He's admitting it? _Rie thought. _I can't believe it. Aang had better kill Ozai, and I mean, **kill **__him. _

Katara whispered, "I'm sorry. It must have taken a lot to admit it."

Zuko nodded. "Anyway, since Zula will inherit the throne, she's going to be his main priority, as always. He might forget all about me, leaving me to do virtually as I wish."

Katara got his point, as did Rie, still unseen. The Waterbender looked away again, then back at the prince. Katara was leaning closer to Zuko as Rie's vision ended.

* * *

:-) Sweet... I thought it was time that I let Sokka's opinion be heard. Of course, I had give Rie a vision so she could see what Sokka said. (After this, no more 3rd person limited for me. Too hard to get the whole story.) Tune in for Chapter 13! 


	13. The Truth and Kidnappers

It became more and more obvious that Zuko and Katara cared for each other with each passing day. Obvious to everyone, that is, except for General Iroh.

Rie was amazed at how clueless about his own nephew's feelings Iroh could at times, when at others it seemed as if Iroh was the only that understood Zuko.

One day, after Zuko finally managed to throw off Rie, the Seer went to Iroh's cabin.

"You're nephew is getting better," Rie remarked, rubbing her lower back. "Though it took him...almost two months to throw me off.

"He's never had a real opponent before, Madam," Iroh said. "I never fought him and the crew wasn't the best benders in the world. Having real opposition has made him stronger." The general handed Rie a cup of tea, which she sipped slowly.

Just then, Zuko, who had still been on deck, passed by the open door and headed to his cabin. The general sighed. Rie noticed.

"Anything wrong, General?"

Iroh sighed. "My nephew."

Rie sipped her tea. "What's wrong with Prince Zuko? He seems fine t'me," Rie remarked.

"He's fallen in love with the Water Tribe girl."

Rie snorted. "How long did it take you to realize this?"

Iroh turned to Rie. "I've known it since Admiral Zhao attempted to blast the girl, Madam. My nephew was never good at hiding his feelings for others."

"And theirs is something wrong with Zuko falling in love with Katara?"

"Yes. My brother will not allow Prince Zuko to return if he has fallen in love with a Waterbender. It is against our culture, as you know."

"I do?" Rie muttered. Louder, though, she said, "Oh, I do. General Iroh, do you really think that Ozai will welcome Zuko back anyway?"

Iroh shook his head. "No. Do not tell Zuko this, but my brother told me that no matter what, Zuko would never gain the throne. Zula will. Ozai plans to write off Zuko and forget he was ever born. He reminds him too much of Lady Li Mei."

This was new. "Why?"

"Without the scar, my nephew would look just like his mother," Iroh explained. "Ozai never liked Li Mei, but our father had arranged the marriage, so they were forced into it. Though Ozai has always favored Zula over Zuko, it was the death of Li Mei that made him detest Zuko even more. Ozai wanted to forget all about the horrible marriage, and as Zuko grew, he took on more and more of his mother's characteristics. While Zula is cruel, Zuko is not, as you can tell." Rie nodded in agreement. The guy was obsessed, but not cruel or evil. The general continued.

"Zula is just like my brother, father, and grandfather in every way, and for that my brother dotes on her. There is virtually no hope for Zuko." Iroh turned away, very upset. Rie set her cup down and left quietly.

Rie walked across the passage to her cabin. As she was opening the door, she heard someone crying out on deck. Curious, Rie went to check.

"Hello?" she called. "Is something wrong?" As Rie was turning the corner, she caught a glimpse of her crew, tied up, before she was knocked out cold.

* * *

Rie woke up with a pounding headache. She attempted to move her hands up to her head, but found they were tied with rope, as were her feet. _What the hell is goin' on? _She thought. She couldn't yell at anyone because, one, there was nobody else in the room, and, two, her mouth was covered with a rag. 

Rie thrashed around in an attempt to loosen her bonds. Before long, though, one of her captors came running.

"Stop it!" he cried. Rie just gave him an evil glare. "Don't look at me that way. I have power over you, you realize."

Rie was silently swearing. The person in front of her was wearing Earth Kingdom clothes. She had been captured by Earthbenders!

While Rie was coming to this deduction, two more captors came dashing in. Upon entering, one said, "Where is General Iroh?"

_Why are these guys after Iroh? Usually their after Zuko, _Rie mused. _Duh! They must be trying to get him back for Ba Sing Se. _Rie decided it was best to play dumb and not make any type of reply, garbled or otherwise. When he got no reply, the one, obviously the leader, turned to the two others.

"One of you two keep guard outside this cave. Sooner or later, the people she was traveling with will come to find her and then we can talk money or the general, whichever comes first." The other two nodded, then flipped a coin to see who would take first watch. The first one lost and went outside with the others, but stopped at the entrance.

_Dummies, _Rie thought. _What good is keeping guard_ outside_ the cave? _The trussed up girl began look around for something sharp to cut her bonds, but the Earthbenders had removed every sharp stone. Since that was dud, Rie made sure her back was to the entrance and began burn through her bonds the best she could.

"Rope," Rie whispered upon breaking free and taking off the gag. "Could those guys be any stupider?" Rie looked back to the entrance. It was very late, she could tell. Escaping had taken quite a few hours, much longer than Rie had hoped. Creeping closer to the entrance, Rie looked to see if the guard was there.

He was there, but was, at the moment, sleeping like a baby. Rie chuckled and whispered, "Good night," as she made her way back to wear she thought the ship was.

Though it took many hours of stumbling in the dark, tripping over branches, and swearing, Rie eventually got to the ship. A member of the crew who was walking by, noticed her.

"Madam Rie! What happened?"

"Kidnapping, Lin," Rie replied. "Could you let me on board?"

The flustered Lin dropped a rope down and let Rie up. "Where's the general and the others?" Rie asked, not seeing Zuko practicing, as he usually was, even at this late hour.

"Prince Zuko spotted the Avatar's bison and wanted to take the ship out. General Iroh advised against it, in case the kidnappers came back, so he, the Prince, and the Water girl are out trying to find the Avatar. The rest of the crew, save for me and Zhi, are out trying to find you," Lin said.

Lin then went on to explain who the kidnappers were and why they wanted Iroh. It turned out that they were sons of a great Earth Kingdom General that Iroh's siege had killed long ago. Furious, they swore they'd get Iroh back. It was they who had planned the poisonous arrow, and they had coaxed the Elephant Koi to ram the ship. They had hoped to kidnap Zuko, but had settled for Rie.

"We didn't mean to get ourselves tied up," Lin apologized. "They snuck up on us."

"Okay. As soon as the others get back, we're going after the prince and his uncle," Rie ordered. Lin saluted and left to find Zhi. Rie turned to the railing.

"I hope Zuko doesn't do anything stupid."

* * *

Okay, sorry I took so long gettin' this chapter up, I had writer's block. Chapter 14 will be much better and a bit longer.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO AVATAR! I do own Rie, the kidnappers, Zhi, and Lin, however.


	14. A Blown Cover

It didn't take long for the others to return. Lin, who just happened to be the helmsman, set out in the direction Zuko had taken at a double speed. Rie looked anxiously for any sign that the Fire Prince was there.

It was dawn before Rie had any hint, and it didn't come in the form of a visible sign. Rie fell into a trance.

Roku was, of course, waiting for her. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see you again, Sensei," Rie remarked offhandedly.

"Come again?"

"You heard. Avatar Roku, Koru Ratava. I'm blonde, not dumb. You were training me for this whole expedition, weren't you?"

Roku smiled and nodded. "Yes. Now, I need you to see something. I'm not going to transport you, just show you something." Roku held his right hand out and a small looking-glass portal opened.

It was showing a scene Rie assumed was happening right now. It showed Zuko and Iroh on one side of a clearing, with Aang and Sokka on the other. Katara was off to the side. It was evident the she was torn. Zuko was blasting at Sokka and Aang, the latter who just stopped the attacks with Earthbending.

"Wow, that was fast," Rie remarked. "He mastered Earthbending already."

"He knew that faster he mastered it, the faster he could get Katara back," Roku explained.

Rie nodded and listened as Sokka said, "Let my sister go and we won't hurt you or the old guy, Prince Zuko."

Iroh looked as if to say he wasn't old, then decided against it.

"You? Hurt me? That's a laugh," Zuko said in that hoarse whisper of his. "I'd like to see you try."

Rie watched as Aang blasted at Zuko, who just stopped all but the flying rock attack. "I need to find them before Zuko does something stupid! Where are they?"

"In the clearing on the shore just ahead."

Rie bowed her thanks, then awoke from the trance. "Lin! STOP THE SHIP!"

The crew was jostled as Lin obeyed. "Everyone, stay aboard," Rie ordered. "Don't let anyone on unless I say so, got it?"

The whole crew was funny looks, but they obeyed. As Rie left the ship, she didn't catch her reflection.

Her hair was turning blonde.

* * *

Rie found the clearing without trouble. Zuko was still fighting off the attacks, finally stopping when Aang and Sokka did. "Had enough?"

The two others ignored him. Sokka turned to his sister. "Katara, why on Earth did you stay with this guy? Wait, don't answer that. You love him, don't you?"

As Rie hid behind a tree, Katara made no comment.

"Do you really think that a Firebender is capable of any emotions at all?" Sokka asked. "They killed Mom! And his dad was behind it," he added, pointing to Zuko. "His people are monsters!"

_He should not have done that, _Rie winced. She watched as Zuko, deaf to both Katara and Iroh, grabbed Sokka. He looked ready to kill him when Rie spoke up.

"Zuko, drop him."

It was the shock of Rie's voice that caused Zuko to obey, not the command. "I thought you were kidnapped," Zuko said.

"The idiots tied me up with _rope!_" Rie exclaimed. "It was easy to burn my way out. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is, you are trying to kill someone in cold blood."

"You heard what he called me, Madam Rie."

"And others have called you the same thing," Rie pointed out. "But did you hurt them? For cryin' out loud, you fell in love with Katara."

That was news to Sokka, who just kinda went limp. "What! You're kidding!"

"I'm a Seer. I don't kid," Rie replied.

"Ha! Told ya so, Sokka," Aang cried.

"No," retorted the warrior. "You said she was connected to the Spirit World."

Iroh, who had been watching Rie closely, gasped. "He was right. Look." He pointed a shaky finger at Rie. Everyone looked.

"What?" Rie looked around her. "Do I look funny? Is there something in my hair?"

Aang was the only one not gaping. "It _is _your hair, miss."

"What?" Rie pulled a few strands to her eyes. Totally unconcerned, she shrugged and remarked. "So it's going back to blonde." It took a second to register. "Holy cow! I'm a blonde again!"

"_Again?_" Iroh asked incredulously. "You mean, your hair is not naturally black?"

Rie shook her head, now fully returned to its former golden hue. "Nuh-uh. It changed when I passed through the, um, never mind!"

Aang supplied the rest. "Portal. You passed through a portal to the Spirit World from your own, right, Rie?"

"Are you sayin' that or is Roku?" Rie laughed. "He's the one who sent me on this wild quest!"

All fights were temporarily forgotten. "Huh?" Sokka said, summing up what everyone was thinking.

Rie looked around for some sign she should tell them. Roku's face popped up and nodded. Taking a deep breath, Rie told all of what had happened from leaving the Martial Arts building to waking up on the ship. "And, while I was in the Spirit World, Roku told me that the only way Aang was gonna win the war was if I got those two to fall in love," Rie finished, pointing to Zuko and Katara. "Now I think he just needed me to speed things up a bit, however."

"So it's your fault my sister's in love with a monster!" Sokka accused, pointing his boomerang at her.

"Did _I _say that?" Rie asked, pushing the weapon away. "I said I helped Zuko and Katara fall in love, not Katara and a monster.And, somehow, I don't think anyone but Zuko and Katara did anything. Which brings me back to the point at hand," she said, turning back to Zuko. "Killing Sokka, idiot though he be, is not going to help anyone. If anything, it's going to hurt one of the perhaps…two people from this world that care for you," Rie said, giving Katara, still standing silently to the side, a glance.

Iroh nodded. "The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all."

"What?"

Rie recognized the proverb and intoned with the general, "You don't meet a girl like _that _dynasty!"

Sokka butted in. "Okay, so you're from another world, my sister is in love with the Fire Prince, and Aang only needs to master Firebending before he can go kick the Fire Lord's butt."

"Which he will do. There's no question about it," Rie interrupted. "Sorry, General." Iroh just nodded.

"Yeah, anyway," Sokka continued, "what about me? Don't I need to give my permission on this whole relationship thing?"

Aang gave Sokka a look. "Hasn't she done what she wants, with or without your permission, Sokka?" The teen thought about it, then nodded.

Katara hugged Sokka, thanked him for some unknown reason, and then went to Zuko. Rie shot the others a glance, and they all turned away for a minute.

While Rie was looking away and giving Katara and Zuko privacy, Avatar Roku appeared. "You can go home now, Rie."

"I thought you said I was stuck here until the war was over," Rie pointed out.

"After this, Iroh will consent to teach Aang in exchange for Aang going with Zuko to Ozai. Aang will use that to fight Ozai, and, of course, will win. The war is virtually over."

Rie was happy to go home to where things made sense, but it was a bittersweet parting. Roku saw this and smiled. "You will be allowed to visit after the war, of course."

Rie smiled and looked once more at the crowd of people around her. Katara was in Zuko's arms, Aang and the others still giving them privacy. "I can't wait," Rie said with a smile.

* * *

Iroh's proverb is from Disney's Mulan, which I don't own.


	15. Matchmakers and Marriges

Rie discovered that, after she entered the portal, time had slowed, but hadn't stopped. It was a week since the night it all started and her family was fit to be tied. Her grounding forgotten, Mrs. Vanguard questioned Rie about her location for the past week. Knowing her mother would never believe her, Rie said she must have hit her head and forgotten the way home. Afterwards, things returned to normal. Beth was annoying, the Vanguard parents played favorites, and Rie was sulking and attending practice with Sensei Koru. (He had stayed on.) It was all good.

One day at school, Rie's class had to take aptitude tests. Rie was at lunch with her friends and discussing the results.

"Maid! Maid! Do I look like some fancy French Maid to y'all?" Jackie exclaimed.

Her boyfriend, Chris, acted like he was scrutinizing her. "I'd let you clean my house anytime, Jackie." He was rewarded for his flirting with a shove off of his seat. Everyone laughed as he pulled himself up.

"Hey, Marie," Rie's friend, Belle, said, "what'd you get on your test?" (Belle never called anyone by their nickname.)

"Ha, martial arts sensei probably," Chris joked.

Rie smiled as she shook her head. "Gypsy matchmaker."

The whole table cracked up. "What? Girl, they switched your papers wit' someone else's. You ain't no matchmaker!" Jackie exclaimed.

Rie grinned. "Oh, I've made some impossible matches before. Which reminds me," she said looking at her watch. "I've got a wedding to go to with Sensei. He should be right…about…now."

Right on time, Sensei Koru showed up with Rie's things. "Ready?" he asked, smiling. Rie nodded and left.

* * *

Katara of the Water Tribe was in a fit. "I can't do this!" The two years that had passed had increased her beauty, and Katara was suffering from pre-wedding jitters. 

Her trusted friend , Rie, laughed. "I said the same thing, and look what happened. I helped you fall in love."

Katara smiled as Rie pulled her hair back. "I remember. You can't really forget the cure-all."

Rie laughed. "Hey, it worked faster than any Water healing you could have pulled off, didn't it?"

The bride had to agree. Rie finished the last minute preparations and told Katara she was ready to go.

* * *

Rie stood aside as Aang completed the wedding ceremony. (It was way different for the ones in Rie's world.) As the matchmaker, Rie was asked to hand the groom his family's emblem. In honor of Katara, instead of just the traditional headpiece, Rie also handed the groom a carved necklace. 

"With these symbols, Katara of the Water Tribe becomes Fire Lady Katara, wife of Fire Lord Zuko," Aang, now fourteen, said. His girlfriend, Mei Su, one of the Air Nomad refugees of the Eastern Air Temple, smiled. (Sokka was still single.)

As the newlyweds kissed, Rie smiled. "Sometimes," she muttered, "I guess fire and water do mix."

* * *

I had a blast writing Out of this World. I'm already working on a fanfic with Sokka as the main character. It's probably going to be a bit longer than this one, but I'm not sure. Of course, it will be a romance. What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic. (Rie will probably not be in the next one.)

Thanks to all of you who read and a special thanks to those who reveiwed!

Legacy


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